Koh Chang Car Ferry: How to Bring Your Car, Schedule & Ticket Prices
The roll-on, roll-off car ferry from Ao Thammachat to Koh Chang
Driving to Koh Chang is one of the easiest ways to explore the island. It gives you your own wheels for waterfalls, viewpoints and the quiet east coast. Every car reaches the island the same way: on the roll-on, roll-off car ferry from Ao Thammachat pier on the mainland to Ao Sapparot on Koh Chang.
This guide covers the route from Bangkok, ferry fares and times and how boarding works. It also explains what Malaysians need to bring their own car into Thailand. Finally, it shows how to avoid the huge holiday queues.
- Car fares differ by source. Visit Thailand Today lists ฿200 for a car in 2026. I Am Koh Chang lists ฿120 (as of 2023). Byklo's 2026 guide also says about ฿120. I've shown both. Bring enough cash for the higher fare.
- Passenger and motorbike fares differ too. Visit Thailand Today lists ฿90 per adult and ฿90 per motorbike. Byklo lists ฿80 for a foot passenger and ฿40 extra with a scooter.
- Ferry times vary by source. Visit Thailand Today and Byklo say about 06:30 to 18:30. I Am Koh Chang says about 07:00 to 19:00, every 45 minutes. On busy holidays, ferries run much later.
- The Centrepoint ferry is closed. Byklo says it has been suspended since mid-2024 and is still closed in 2026. Visit Thailand Today also says it isn't running.
- The Malaysian car rules come from one 2026 guide. Motorist.my's August 2026 guide covers the border process. Rules can change, so check with Thai Customs before you travel.
Quick facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Mainland pier | Ao Thammachat, near Laem Ngop, Trat |
| Island pier | Ao Sapparot, north-west Koh Chang |
| Crossing time | About 30 to 40 minutes |
| Car fare | ฿200 (Visit Thailand Today 2026) or ฿120 (I Am Koh Chang 2023, Byklo 2026) |
| Adult passenger | ฿80 to ฿90 |
| Motorbike | ฿40 to ฿90 |
| Payment | Cash only, at the pier booth |
| Booking | No online booking. Queue and pay on the day |
| Service | About 06:30 to 18:30 |
| Drive from Suvarnabhumi to the pier | About 4.5 hours |
Car queue at Ao Thammachat pier, Trat
Koh Chang car ferry fares compared
| Ticket | Visit Thailand Today (2026) | I Am Koh Chang (2023) | Byklo (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | ฿200 | ฿120 | About ฿120 |
| Adult passenger | ฿90 | ฿80 | About ฿80 |
| Child | ฿40 (110 to 150 cm) | ฿30 (under 7 free) | Not listed |
| Motorbike | ฿90 | Allowed, fare not listed | About ฿40 with rider |
| Car + 2 adults (one way) | ฿380 | ฿280 | About ฿280 |
| Source | View trip | View trip | View trip |
All fares are one way. Visit Thailand Today says there are no return tickets, so you pay again when you leave.
Ferry schedule
- First sailing: about 06:30
- Last sailing: about 18:30
- Frequency: roughly every 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Since April 2026: boats between the first and last sailings leave when full, according to Visit Thailand Today. Expect waits at quiet times.
On major holidays, the ferries run far longer. Thai Post reported that on 1 May 2026, ferries ran for about 18 hours. The last departure was at midnight.
How boarding works
Driving onto the Koh Chang car ferry
- Drive to Ao Thammachat pier and join the vehicle queue.
- Pay at the ticket booth in cash for your car and each passenger.
- Drive straight on when the crew waves you forward. It's roll-on, roll-off.
- Leave your car and sit on the upper deck for the 30 to 40 minute crossing.
- Drive off at Ao Sapparot. White Sand Beach is just a few minutes away.
Upper deck of the Koh Chang car ferry
Byklo says you rarely wait more than one sailing in normal weather.
Driving from Bangkok to the pier
Driving Highway 3 towards Trat and Koh Chang
I Am Koh Chang gives this route:
- Take the motorway out of Bangkok to Highway 344.
- Rejoin Highway 3 near Klaeng and continue past Chanthaburi.
- About 23 km before Trat, turn left onto Route 3156 towards Laem Ngop.
- The Ao Thammachat pier is about 20 minutes further on.
It takes about 4.5 hours from Suvarnabhumi Airport, or an extra 30 to 60 minutes from central Bangkok. Watch for police checkpoints on Highway 344. Ignore signs pointing to Centrepoint's shortcut, since that ferry is closed.
Bringing a Malaysian car into Thailand
Driving a Malaysian car across the Thai border
Driving from Malaysia is a very long trip, but it's possible. Motorist.my's 2026 guide lists what you need:
- Passport for every traveller
- Malaysian driving licence. A valid full licence is accepted under the ASEAN agreement. An International Driving Permit from JPJ is recommended.
- Vehicle registration certificate matching the car and plate
- Owner's authorisation letter if the car isn't registered in your name. Check whether your finance bank must approve too.
- Thai compulsory motor insurance. Your Malaysian insurance doesn't replace it. It mainly covers injury, not damage to your car.
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), free and submitted within three days before arrival
At the border, Thai Customs issues a temporary import document for your car. Keep it safe, because you must show it when you leave. Motorist.my says overstaying the permitted period costs ฿1,000 a day, up to ฿10,000.
Easier option: fly to Bangkok and rent a car there, or rent a car or scooter once you're on Koh Chang.
Avoiding the holiday queues
Koh Chang's ferry gets extremely busy on long weekends. In early May 2026:
- Thai Post reported a queue of about 7 km on 1 May. Some drivers waited more than 6 hours.
- Naewna reported over 3,000 cars heading to the island for events from 1 to 4 May. On the return, the queue was about 4 km long. Ferries carried 180 to 200 cars per hour.
How to avoid it:
- Travel midweek, not on Thai public holidays.
- Take the first ferry of the day.
- Leave the island in staggered times. Police asked hotels to stagger checkouts in May 2026.
Tips for Malaysian travellers
Steep hill road on Koh Chang
- Carry plenty of baht in cash. The ferry booth doesn't take cards.
- Reach the pier before 18:30. Byklo warns that missing the last boat means an extra night on the mainland.
- Keep your documents in the car. Byklo advises carrying rental papers and your International Driving Permit for checkpoints.
- Drive carefully on the island. Koh Chang's roads have steep hills and sharp hairpin bends.
- Fill up before the east coast. Fuel stations are scarce there.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Driving to the closed Centrepoint ferry.
- Arriving on a Thai long weekend without expecting a queue of several hours.
- Bringing a Malaysian car without Thai compulsory insurance.
- Forgetting cash for the return crossing.
- Losing the temporary import document before leaving Thailand.
Sourced from Visit Thailand Today Bangkok to Koh Chang, I Am Koh Chang Getting to Koh Chang by Car, Byklo Koh Chang Ferry with a Motorbike (2026), Thai Post (May 2026), Naewna (May 2026), Motorist.my Driving a Malaysian Car into Thailand (2026) and Travelfish Ko Chang transport. Fares checked in October 2026 and may change.