Getting to the Thai islands from Bangkok is an extremely well trodden route. Almost everyone who backpacks around here will run it, either one way or the other, at some point on his or her travels. And, with it being such a popular route and destination, there are numerous ways of getting there.

If you go down the government transport route you can either do the legwork yourself and book bus or train tickets directly or, if you prefer, you can get an agency to do it for you (for a price, of course). If you go it alone and want to book at a station, and travel by Tuk Tuk, be aware that once the driver knows your intentions he’ll do his utmost to get you to book it at the TAT office instead. If you tell them you’re meeting a friend there or something then you won’t have to go through the driver’s hard sell and you’ll still get your commission free ticket.  I’m not dissing the TAT though – their staff are ever  helpful and the service is genuine – and when you hand over a chunk of your travel budget at least you can rest easy knowing that you’re dealing with a reputable organisation.

Another good thing about the TAT is that they’re a great source for accurate, up to date transport information – with prices (albeit with their commission added). They’ll also inform you of your options when it comes to actually getting to the various transport hubs - and even supply a bit of info about onward connections if you’re lucky. I sometimes feel a bit guilty about leaving their office without buying anything after they’ve been so helpful, but that sensation doesn’t last too long.

Oh, another tip for the stations: kill 2 birds with one stone by sniffing out a few route maps and timetables (sometimes they’ll have prices on them, too) when you go for the tickets. They may hold you in good stead should plan to return to the area any time soon. But, even if you don’t need them immediately, any non-lonely planeteer back at the hostel would no doubt find a good home for them.

Of course, the savings gained by booking tickets directly will still be offset with transport costs to and from the station – so do the math first.

Alternatively, you can take one of the backpacker busses; they are (for the most part) pretty competitively priced but can vary immensely in quality (and sometimes safety) depending on the tour operator. If you do go for one of these, my advice - take it or leave it - is to shop around, ask sufficient questions and pick wisely – don’t just go for the cheapest as sometimes things are cheap for a reason. Its horses for courses though – there is an upside to these busses. You can just walk into an agent, slap a bunch of Baht down and then everything should be taken care of from guesthouse pick up (but not all the time) to onward tickets.

In Thailand, busses (both tourist and government) will be generally be quicker than the trains, but what you eventually plump for will all depend on your travel preferences.