REACHING THE REGION BY AIR

Trat airport, owned and operated by Bangkok Airways, is located on the mainland near Laem Ngop. At the moment flights operate only from and to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport taking about an hour.

Bangkok Airways flight schedules
Bangkok-Trat
PG301 09.00 AM - 10.00 AM
PG307 16.35 PM - 17.30 PM

Trat-Bangkok
PG302 10.30 AM - 11.30 AM
PG308 18.25 PM - 19.25 PM

Schedules changes are not uncommon so you might want to check www.bangkokair.com for the latest flight times. The Trat office of BA can be reached on 039-551-654 and the airport contact is 039-525-767/8.
If you take the last flight and it is delayed, in any way they don't worry - they hold the last ferry to Koh Chang to meet minibuses from the airport.

BUSES FROM BANGKOK

Probably the  best way to get down to Koh Chang is by bus from either Ekamai - Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal , or Morchit - the nothern terminal. The frequent departure from both are detailed in the table below. Buses take from 4 to 6 hours to get down to Trat or to Koh Chang ferries. Most convenient are the buses run by Tanakawee or 99 express that go directly to the ferry stops at centerpoint and Ao Thammachat. Expect you pay around 250 baht for your day.

If you get a bus to Trat, the nearest town to Koh Chang, you will arrive at Trat's new bus station, about 1 km out of town, Taxis will be waiting to take you the 20 kilometers  to the Koh Chang ferry for about 180 baht. You can reduce this to 40-50 baht if you are prepared to wait for a common shared taxi (songthaow).

There are also minibuses that pick up from guesthouses and hotels around Khao San Road, Sukhumvit or any downtown place in Bangkok and travel directly to the ferry departure point at Laem Ngop. Bookings can be made from any of the scores of travel agents in this area. The buses leave at 7.00-8.00 AM and take 5 or 6 hours. The trip costs around 250 baht including ferry crossing. Minibuses return to Bangkok at 11.00 AM every day from Laem Ngop. 

99 express (089-752-5732)
Ekamai to ferries : 6.30 AM, 7.45 AM, 9.45 AM
Ferries to Ekamai : 12.30 AM, 2.30 PM, 4.00 PM

Cherdchai Tour (02-391-2237)
Ekamai to Trat : (AM) 6.00, 7.00, 9.30, 11.00, 12.30 (PM) 1.15, 2.00, 3.30, 5.30, 7.30, 8.30, 10.00, 11.00, 11.30
Trat to Ekamai : (AM) 7.00, 8.00, 9.00, 9.30, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00 (PM) 1.00, 2.00, 4.00, 6.00, 9.30, 11.00, 11.30
Morchit to Trat (via airport) : 8.30 AM, 5.30 PM
Trat to Morchit (via Airport) : 8.30 AM, 2.30 PM

Tanakawee (02-3912331)
Ekamai to ferry (Ao Tammachat) 8.30 AM
Ekamai to Trat : 10.30 AM, 12.00 AM, 4.40 PM, 6.30 PM, 10.30 PM
Morchit to Trat  (via Airport) : 6.30 AM, 9.30 AM, 12.30 AM, 3.30 PM, 11.00 PM
Ferry (Ao Tammachat) to Khoa San Road : 11.30 AM
Trat to Ekamai : 10.00 AM, 10.30 AM, 12.00 AM, 2.00 PM, 8.00 PM
Trat to Morchit (via Airport) : 7.30 AM, 9.30 AM, 12.30 AM, 4.00 PM

BUSES FROM SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT       

All the buses services that leave from Morchit bus terminal stop to pick up passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport's bus station. This is linked to the airport by a free white shuttle bus. The 99 express buses from Ekamai also stop here. For departure times add 20 minutes to the Bangkok departure times in the timetable.

VIP MINIBUS - PRIVATE OR SHARED  

  A convenient way to reach the island is the VIP minibus. You can book it in numerous travel agencies in Bangkok. The main advantage is that the bus offers a quick door to door and all inclusive outstanding service from the pick at your hotel to your destination in Koh Chang. If you want to rent the whole minibus for you and your family, you will be charged 4500 - 5500 baht. If you share the bus (max of 9 persons), you will be charged 500 - 550 baht per person. From Bangkok to the ferry : 4 - 4.30 hours, from Suvarnabhumi airport to the ferry : 3.30 - 4.00    

BY CAR 

Eastern Thailand and its islands can be easily reached by road and 2 regular car ferries operate to Koh Chang. There are 2 main driving roads from Bangkok, both 310 km long. The first way is to take Highway 3, the Bangna- Trat road. There is a quicker elevated tollway running above Highway 3. Continue untill the Chonburi bypass and here turn off onto Highway 344. Follow this road past Ban Bung and when you reach the Klaeng crossroads, turn back onto Highway 3 and continue on towards Trat. Alternatively, you can leave Bangkok on the motorway that is the continuation of the Rama IX, Srinikarin road. This road goes onwards and meet Highway 344 where you can continue to Trat as detailed above.
To avoid Trat and go directly to the ferry departure points, turn right onto the well signposted Leam Ngop road about 20 km outside Trat.  

TRAVEL FROM CAMBODIA

 If you are coming to Koh Chang from Cambodia, the most convenient is to head for the border crossing at Hat Lek, close to the cambodian town of Koh Kong. One month Thai visas can be obtained for free at the border. Just over the border of Thailand, a minibus to Trat leaves every 45 minutes during border opening hours. It costs 100 baht and takes just over an hour. Recently, waits have become common and they often don't leave untill the minibus is full. In Cambodia, you can get to Koh Kong via dealy minibus services from both Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville that costs 25 usd and now leaves at 9.30 AM.

BOATS TO THE ISLANDS KOH CHANG

A car ferry operates from Ao Thammachat on the mainland to Ao Sapparot on Koh Chang. Ao Thammachat is 9 km from Laem Ngop and 17 km from Trat airport. A second ferry goes from center point, 3 km up to the coast from Laem Ngop. Times and prices are as scheduled below :

Ao Thammachat (039-518-589)
first ferry : 6.30 AM -- Last ferry : 7.00 PM -- every 45 minutes -- car 200 baht -- people 120 baht

Center point (039-538-196)
First ferry : 6.00 AM -- Last ferry : 7.00 PM -- every hour -- car free -- peaple 160 baht