Getting Around Koh Chang: Local Transport, Songthaews, Scooters & Island Hopping
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-22
Getting around Koh Chang on a budget in 2026 comes down to three things: shared songthaews along the west coast, rented scooters for full-day autonomy, and ferries to Koh Kood and Koh Mak. No Grab, no formal bus network, and almost no walking between beaches. This guide covers the songthaew system, scooter rental rules (yes, IDP matters), and onward ferry connections. For the full Southeast Asia transport picture, see Sea Backpacking Hub. You may also find Getting Around Koh Yao Noi Scooters Taxis Island Transport useful for this trip.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest way from Bangkok to Koh Chang | Bus + ferry combo from Ekkamai or Mo Chit | ₹2,610 (~900 THB or ~$27) |
| Songthaew between west-coast beaches | Shared pickup, flag it down on the main road | ₹115 (~40 THB or ~$1.20) |
| Scooter rental per day | Automatic 110–125cc from any shop on the west coast | ₹430 (~150 THB or ~$4.50) |
| Ferry from Koh Chang to Koh Kood | Centara Ferry or Boonsiri, ~1.5 hrs | ₹1,720 (~600 THB or ~$18) |
| Cheapest way to reach Koh Chang from Cambodia | Bus via Koh Kong, includes ferry | ₹2,495 (~870 THB or ~$26) |
How to Reach Koh Chang from the Mainland
Koh Chang has no airport and no bridge. Every arrival by road ends at one of the five car-ferry piers on the east coast (Ao Thammachat, Centrepoint, Saphan Hin, Khlong Son, and Haad Sai Khao), which is why the bus + ferry combos from Bangkok include the ferry crossing in the price.
The honest comparison:
| Mode | Duration | Price | Operator | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ferry | None | ₹1,173 (~12.18 USD) | None | Book on 12go |
| bus | 3h 50m | ₹2,748 (~28.52 USD) | None | Book on 12go |
| bus | 4h 45m | ₹1,307 (~13.57 USD) | None | Book on 12go |
| taxi | 7h 30m | ₹2,304 (~23.92 USD) | None | Book on 12go |
Most Indian travellers come via Bangkok. The standard route is a minibus from Ekkamai or Mo Chit bus terminal straight to Trat, where you’re transferred to a ferry, then another songthaew to your specific beach. For getting from Suvarnabhumi to the bus terminal, see our Bangkok Airport to City Center Guide. Total cost is around ₹1,715-₹2,573 (~600-900 THB or ~$17.81-$26.71) one way depending on the company, and tickets can be booked on 12go the day before to lock in the seat.
If you’re coming from Siem Reap, the cheapest direct option is a bus + ferry combo via Koh Kong, which takes most of the day (around 9 to 11 hours door to door) and runs roughly ₹4,288-₹5,718 (~1,500-2,000 THB or ~$44.51-$59.35). Border paperwork at Hat Lek can take 30 to 90 minutes depending on the queue. Bring a photocopy of your passport, your Thai visa if relevant, and small USD notes in case the Cambodian side wants a “stamp fee” that nobody can explain.
Songthaews on the Island: The Real Public Transport
Koh Chang has no formal bus network. The “public transport” is a loose system of shared songthaews (literally “two rows” in Thai, referring to the bench seats bolted into a pickup bed) that run along the single main road running south to north along the west coast, plus a separate set running along the east coast.
How the system works:
- West coast route: White Sand Beach → Had Sai Khao → Klong Prao → Kai Bae → Lonely Beach → Bailan → Bang Bao pier (south tip). This is where most travellers stay, with key pickup points at the White Sand Beach songthaew stand and the Bang Bao pier junction.
- East coast route: A looser, less frequent service between the ferries at Ao Thammachat and the bigger west-coast beaches.
Flag a songthaew down anywhere on the main road. If the driver is going your direction, they’ll stop. If they’re full or going the other way, you’ll get a beep and a wave-off.
The fare structure is unwritten but consistent in 2026:
| Trip | What you’ll pay |
|---|---|
| Mid-distance (Klong Prao to Lonely Beach) | ₹143-₹286 (~50-100 THB or ~$1.48-$2.97) |
| Long-distance (White Sand to Bang Bao pier) | ₹429 (~150 THB or ~$4.45) |
| Cross-island (west to east coast, like to Trat ferry) | ₹572-₹858 (~200-300 THB or ~$5.94-$8.90) |
Subodh’s Pro Tip: If a songthaew is empty and the driver quotes you ₹1,715 (~600 THB or ~$17.81) for “private charter,” don’t pay it. Stand on the road for three minutes and another one will come along. Shared rides are always ₹143-₹429 (~50-150 THB or ~$1.48-$4.45) for any beach-to-beach trip.
The trick nobody tells you: songthaews stop running meaningfully after around 6 pm. Past sunset you either have your own scooter, your accommodation has called you a private songthaew, or you’re walking. Don’t expect to grab a ride at 10 pm.
Safety Alert: Songthaew benches have no seatbelts. If you’re sitting on the outside edge, hold the rail. The vehicle will lean hard on corners and the road is hilly.
Scooter Rental Rules (License, IDP, and What Happens)
This is the section that decides whether your Koh Chang trip goes smoothly or ends at a police station. Read it carefully.
An Indian car license is not valid for scooters in Thailand on its own. You need an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by the RTO in India with the motorcycle category explicitly stamped on it. Without that motorcycle stamp, you’ll have no valid license for two-wheelers here.
If you ride without the right IDP and get stopped at a checkpoint:
- On-the-spot fine: ₹1,429-₹2,859 (~500-1,000 THB or ~$14.84-$29.68), paid at the station, not to the officer
- Insurance void: any travel insurance claim after an accident will be denied if you didn’t have a valid motorcycle license at the time
- No deposit refund in disputes: rental shops lean hard on the “license” clause if there’s any argument
The Koh Chang checkpoints are real. The main tourist police presence is at the south end near Bang Bao pier and the north end approaching Trat-bound traffic. Checkpoints are most common on weekends and during peak tourist season.
Scooter Rental Checklist: Before You Take the Keys
A 15-minute check at the rental shop saves you a ₹11,436 (~4,000 THB or ~$118.70) repair bill at drop-off. Do every step on this list:
- Photo and video walkaround at 4K resolution. Record the time of day. Get the timestamp on the metadata. Show the bike from every angle including the under-seat area and the exhaust.
- Test the brakes by walking the bike and squeezing each lever. Front brake lever should feel firm, not spongey.
- Check tire tread with your thumb. If the central grooves are flat, walk away. Wet roads on Koh Chang’s hills are slippery even with good tires.
- Lights and horn. Turn the key, check both headlights and the rear brake light. Horn is non-negotiable in Thai traffic.
- Helmet with working strap. The shop provides this for free. If they give you a half-shell with no chin strap, refuse it and ask for a full-face. Police will fine you ₹1,429 (~500 THB or ~$14.84) for an unfastened strap.
- Fuel level and policy. Most shops give you a full tank and expect a full tank back. Some give you “enough to get to a petrol station” and that means you’re pre-paying for whatever’s missing.
Daily rental cost in 2026:
| Scooter type | Daily rate | Weekly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic 110–125cc (most common) | ₹715-₹1,001 (~250-350 THB or ~$7.42-$10.39) | ₹4,288-₹5,718 (~1,500-2,000 THB or ~$44.51-$59.35) |
| Semi-automatic (clutchless geared) | ₹858-₹1,144 (~300-400 THB or ~$8.90-$11.87) | ₹5,146-₹6,861 (~1,800-2,400 THB or ~$53.42-$71.22) |
| Big bike (Naked 300cc+) | ₹2,287-₹4,288 (~800-1,500 THB or ~$23.74-$44.51) | 5,000+ THB |
Deposit is typically ₹5,718-₹14,295 (~2,000-5,000 THB or ~$59.35-$148.38) cash or a passport photocopy. Leave a photocopy, not your passport. Shops that insist on holding the passport are a red flag.
Police Checkpoints and Fine Reality
Koh Chang has fewer checkpoints than Chiang Mai or Phuket, but the south-end Bang Bao checkpoint is a known stop for tourists leaving the island, particularly on weekends. Checkpoints at Bang Bao and near the Trat ferry piers are routine during high season.
What to do at a real checkpoint:
- Stop, smile, hand over your passport and IDP together.
- The officer will check the IDP motorcycle stamp.
- If everything’s in order, you’ll be waved through in under a minute.
- If they find a problem (no IDP, no helmet, broken light), they’ll write you a ticket. The fine is ₹1,429-₹2,859 (~500-1,000 THB or ~$14.84-$29.68) and you pay it at the local station (Trat station for Koh Chang) within a set window. Get the receipt.
Safety Alert: An officer asking for cash “on the spot” with no paperwork is asking for a bribe. The legal fine always comes with a printed ticket and a station receipt. No ticket, no payment.
The receipt is your waiver for the rest of the trip within the province (typically 3 days), so keep it folded in your wallet. Travellers who get stopped twice on the same island often avoid a second fine by producing the receipt.
Local Transport Options Beyond the Songthaew
There’s no Grab on Koh Chang and limited Bolt coverage. The ride-hailing apps that work in Bangkok don’t reliably operate here. Your local-transport menu is:
- Songthaews (covered above) for shared rides
- Private songthaew hire (you flag one down and negotiate a charter price) for off-hours or specific beaches
- Motorbike taxis at the Ao Thammachat ferry and the Trat town centre, identified by coloured vests, operating under set rate cards
- Scooter rental (covered above) for full-day autonomy
- Long-tail boat between beaches if a songthaew isn’t running, particularly along the south end from Bang Bao pier to Koh Wai
For onward travel, including ferry tickets to Koh Kood, Koh Mak, and the mainland, find rides on 12go. The Centara Ferry and Boonsiri Highspeed both run between Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood with multiple daily departures.
Where to Eat Near Transport Points
If you’re waiting for a songthaew or ferry, several shortlisted spots sit close to the main transport hubs. Chacha Beach Café & Restaurant on the west coast is a beachfront option with a casual, friendly atmosphere — useful if you’re killing time before a southbound songthaew. Near the Ao Thammachat ferry pier, Sunny Turkish Restaurant serves Turkish flavours by the sea and is a solid pre-ferry meal. For Indian food near the island’s interior, Giant Summit Restaurant (rated 4.7) has mountain views and a diverse menu with Indian dishes — worth the detour if you’re on a scooter.
Island Hopping from Koh Chang
Koh Chang sits in the same island chain as Koh Mak and Koh Kood, both worth a day or two even if Koh Chang is your base. The ferries are predictable and worth booking a day ahead during high season (November to March).
Koh Chang to Koh Mak
- Operator: Boonsiri Highspeed or Bang Bao Boats
- Duration: 30 to 45 minutes
- Price: ₹1,144-₹1,715 (~400-600 THB or ~$11.87-$17.81) one way
- Frequency: 1 to 3 sailings per day in low season, more in high season
For the practical lowdown on transport once you’re on Koh Mak, see the Koh Mak transport guide. If you’re island-hopping further south, the Koh Tao transport guide covers taxi and songthaew options on that island.
Koh Chang to Koh Kood
- Operator: Boonsiri Highspeed or Centara Ferry
- Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
- Price: ₹1,429-₹2,287 (~500-800 THB or ~$14.84-$23.74) one way
- Frequency: 1 to 2 daily sailings
Koh Kood is mostly resort territory but has budget guesthouses in the south. Travellers report the ferry schedules shift seasonally, so confirm at your accommodation the day before. The full picture is in the Koh Kood transport guide.
Day Trip Options from Koh Chang
If you only have one day, Koh Kham and Koh Wai are short-tail-boat rides from the south end of Koh Chang (Bang Bao pier). Both are quiet, snorkel-friendly, and the full-day boat charter runs ₹4,288-₹7,147 (~1,500-2,500 THB or ~$44.51-$74.19) split four ways.
For a longer day trip, the Ang Thong Marine Park out of Surat Thani is reachable as a multi-leg combination via Koh Phangan or Koh Samui, though it involves a 4 to 5 hour ferry leg each way from Koh Chang. If you want to explore Ang Thong without the multi-leg logistics, check Ang Thong tours on GetYourGuide — some operators run pickup packages from Koh Chang during high season.
Getting Connected on Koh Chang
Data is the layer underneath all of this. You’ll need it for the ferry ticket e-mails, for 12go booking confirmation, for Grab if you’re on the mainland before the ferry, and for emergency WhatsApp calls when you miss the last songthaew.
Local SIM options in 2026:
| Operator | Tourist SIM (8 days) | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| AIS | ₹855 (~299 THB or ~$8.87) | Airport counters or any 7-Eleven |
| dtac | ₹855 (~299 THB or ~$8.87) | 7-Eleven or AIS/dtac booth |
| TrueMove | ₹855 (~299 THB or ~$8.87) | Most 7-Eleven |
For the eSIM route that doesn’t require a passport scan or a 7-Eleven visit, Get Nomad eSIM plans start around ₹867 (~9 USD) for 5 GB valid 30 days across Thailand and most of Southeast Asia, with activation by QR code before you fly.
Both work fine on Koh Chang. Coverage drops on the north end of the island and inside the hilly interior; if you’re staying in a beach like Ao Klong Son, expect occasional 4G drops.
Common Transit Mistakes Indians Make
These are the patterns that come up in traveller reports again and again.
Renting without checking the brakes properly, then sliding on a wet hill. Koh Chang roads are hilly. When it rains (and it rains often in green season, May to October), the painted road markers become slippery and the new-tire rubber on rental bikes is unpredictable. Do the brake test in the shop.
Leaving the passport as collateral. Some shops insist. Don’t. Offer a cash deposit of ₹5,718-₹14,295 (~2,000-5,000 THB or ~$59.35-$148.38) plus a passport photocopy. If they refuse, walk. There are 30 other rental shops within a 1 km walk of any beach.
Flagging for the first songthaew that comes without checking the direction. A common mistake. Songthaew drivers heading north will sometimes smile and wave you in even if you wanted to go south. They’ll drop you at the next junction and you’ll wait 20 minutes for another. Always confirm “south?” or “north?” before paying.
Missing the last songthaew after dinner. Service thins out after 6 pm and stops completely after dark on the south end. If you’re going to Bai Lan for dinner, sort your return ride in advance or stay until the songthaews come back.
Skipping the IDP because “nobody checks.” Travellers report regular checkpoints at Bang Bao pier, and on weekends the tourist police presence spikes. A ₹3,431 (~1,200 THB or ~$35.61) IDP from the RTO before you leave India saves you ₹2,859 (~1,000 THB or ~$29.68) in instant fines plus insurance headaches if something goes wrong.
FAQ
Do I need an IDP for a scooter on Koh Chang? Yes. An Indian car license plus the standard 1968 IDP issued by most Indian RTOs does not cover motorcycles. You need a motorcycle endorsement on the IDP (1949 Convention version with the motorcycle line stamped). Without it, you’re paying a ₹1,429-₹2,859 (~500-1,000 THB or ~$14.84-$29.68) fine on the spot and your travel insurance claim is void if anything happens.
Can I use Grab on Koh Chang? Effectively no. Grab coverage on the island is patchy and most drivers don’t operate outside Trat town. Use songthaews for shared transport and negotiate charter prices for private rides.
What’s the cheapest way from Bangkok to Koh Chang? A combined bus + ferry ticket from Ekkamai or Mo Chit terminal, around ₹1,715 (~600 THB or ~$17.81) one way, 5 to 6 hours door to door. Book a day ahead in high season via 12go or directly at the terminal.
Is the road around Koh Chang driveable on a scooter? Yes, with caution. The main road is paved, mostly two-lane, and has decent sight lines. The interior roads to waterfalls and viewpoints are steep and sometimes unpaved. Avoid riding after dark, in rain, or on unfamiliar roads at speed.
Are there ferries directly from Koh Chang to Cambodia? No direct ferry. You go from Koh Chang to the mainland (Trat), then overland to Hat Lek border, then bus to Koh Kong or Sihanoukville. Total time from Koh Chang to Sihanoukville is 6 to 8 hours depending on connections.
Which west-coast beach has the best transport links? White Sand (Had Sai Khao) at the north end of the west coast gets the most songthaew traffic and is closest to the car ferry piers. If you don’t want to rent a scooter and you want options after dark, stay here.
Subodh’s Take
The honest verdict: Koh Chang’s transport system is built around a single songthaew route and scooters. If you don’t want to ride, you don’t have much choice after 6 pm. If you do ride, get the IDP, do the photo walkaround, take a half-day to learn the songthaew routes, and you’ll save a real chunk of money on inter-beach trips over your stay. The ferries to Koh Kood and Koh Mak are reliable and cheap enough to make a two-island combo trip worth it. Don’t overthink this one.
