Short answer
The public ferry from Bali Hai Pier costs 40 baht one way since 10 April 2026, according to the boat operators' club as reported by Pattaya Mail, and takes about 30 to 45 minutes. A shared speedboat costs around 150 to 300 baht per person one way and takes 15 to 20 minutes, and a private charter about 1,500 to 2,500 baht. Fares and times change, so check at the pier. Our Koh Larn tour, from $25 per person, includes the speedboat crossing and a stop at Koh Sak.
What do the ferry and the speedboat cost?
The public ferry costs 40 baht per passenger one way. The Pattaya–Koh Larn Passenger Boat Club announced the rise from 30 baht, effective 10 April 2026, and Pattaya Mail said a return trip still costs under 100 baht. Not every guide has caught up: Pattaya Mail's own August 2026 guide still says about 30 baht. Children under 90 cm tall rode free in March 2024, so ask at the booth whether that still applies.
A shared speedboat costs much more. Pattaya Mail's August 2026 guide gives around 150 to 300 baht per person one way, and a private charter about 1,500 to 2,500 baht. In September 2023 a Pattaya City Hall meeting set 150 baht one way and 300 baht return to the main Koh Larn pier, 200 baht one way to Tawaen beach, and 2,800 baht for a 12-person charter with one engine. Those figures are three years old, and we cannot confirm that they still apply.
How long does the crossing take?
The distance is short: Wikipedia puts Koh Larn 7.5 km from the nearest shore at Pattaya. The speedboat takes 15 to 20 minutes, according to Pattaya Mail's 2026 guide, and Wikivoyage also says 15. The ferry takes longer, and the sources do not agree: about 30 minutes in Pattaya Mail's February 2025 report, and in Wikivoyage, and approximately 45 minutes in Pattaya Mail's August 2026 guide. Plan on 30 to 45 minutes and add the wait at the pier.
Where you land also changes the day. Ferries go to Na Ban Pier, the main village, and some services go directly to Tawaen Beach, while speedboats can drop you closer to some beaches, according to the 2026 guide. From Na Ban you then need a songthaew or a motorbike to reach the other beaches, so the ferry crossing is not the whole journey.
What is the ferry timetable?
No source we found gives one official timetable. Wikivoyage's Koh Larn page, whose transport section was last edited in December 2024, prints seven sailings each way: from Pattaya at 07:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00 and 18:30, and from Koh Larn at 06:30, 07:30, 09:30, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00. It adds that if the 18:00 boat from the island is full, another follows about ten minutes later.
Treat that table as an outline. Pattaya Mail reported in March 2024 that operators had moved from departures every 30 minutes to leaving as soon as a boat is full, and its August 2026 guide says only that ferries run through the day and that the last returns are generally in the early evening. That guide warns against leaving the return to the last minute, because missing the final ferry can mean paying much more for a private speedboat or staying overnight.
Where do you buy tickets, and what about touts?
Both boats leave from Bali Hai Pier, at the southern end of Pattaya Beach Road just beyond Walking Street, according to Pattaya Mail, which advises buying tickets at the pier booths and not from street touts. The city has tried to regulate this. After a meeting in September 2023, Pattaya City barred operators from aggressively soliciting tourists, limited ticket sales to designated areas, allowed each operator no more than five ticket sellers, and set a seven-day suspension for a first offence.
For you this means a few simple habits. Ask the price before you board, buy at a booth that shows departure times, routes and prices, which the city's 2023 rules required of operators with ticket booths, and keep the ticket for the return. A quoted price well above the ranges in this article is worth questioning.
Which is more comfortable?
The ferry is a large passenger boat that carries many people at a low price, and the complaints reported in March 2026 are about exactly that: passengers cited overcrowded boats, insufficient life jackets and waves that occasionally splash into the boat. Those are passengers' comments, not a statement by the operators, who said the rise aims to keep the ferry service sustainable. A speedboat is quicker, and Pattaya Mail says rough seas from May to October can suspend speedboat services.
Whichever you choose, wear the life jacket you are given, keep your phone in a dry bag and carry cash, since the 2026 guide notes that ATMs may be unreliable at busy times. If you get seasick or travel with small children, a calm day is easier: Pattaya Mail describes November to February as the high season, with less rain and calm seas.
How does our tour handle the crossing?
Our Koh Larn tour crosses by speedboat from the marina on Pattaya Beach Road, where you meet at about 9:00 am. The first stop is Koh Sak, with about two hours of swimming, snorkelling and the paddle board, then Koh Larn for about three hours on the beach. The boat, a guide on board, snorkelling equipment, the paddle board and bottled water are part of the price, from $25 per person. Our tour page says the crossing takes only minutes by speedboat.
You do not buy a separate ferry or speedboat ticket on the day, and you do not return on a timetable of your own: the tour ends back at the marina after about 6 hours. If the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it. Our Koh Larn tour guide compares the day with going alone, cost by cost.
Which should you pick?
Take the public ferry if the budget is the main point: two fares come to 80 baht, against 300 to 600 baht per person return by shared speedboat if the 2026 range holds. It suits one beach, a flexible day and a traveller who does not mind queueing or an uncertain timetable. Expect to buy lunch and a chair on top.
Take a speedboat, shared or on a tour, if time matters or you want to land closer to some beaches. Take our tour if you want Koh Sak, the gear and a guide for one price from $25, and accept that lunch and water sports are paid on top. Between May and October, keep a spare day in case the sea is too rough for speedboats.
Practical checklist
- Check the current ferry fare and the last return time at the Bali Hai Pier booths.
- Buy tickets at a booth, not from street touts, and ask the price before boarding.
- Be at the pier for the last return well before the time you expect.
- Carry cash, and keep your phone in a dry bag.
- Between May and October, keep a spare day in case speedboats are suspended.
Questions and answers
How much is the speedboat from Pattaya to Koh Larn?
Around 150 to 300 baht per person one way for a shared speedboat, according to Pattaya Mail's August 2026 guide, and about 1,500 to 2,500 baht for a private charter. Prices vary by boat and by pier, so ask before you board.
How much is the ferry to Koh Larn?
40 baht one way since 10 April 2026, according to the boat operators' club as reported by Pattaya Mail. A return trip costs under 100 baht. Some guides still say 30 baht, so carry a little extra.
What time is the last boat back from Koh Larn?
Wikivoyage lists the last ferry from Koh Larn at 18:00, with another about ten minutes later if it is full, but times change. Pattaya Mail says the last services run in the early evening. Check the time at the pier on arrival.
Does the speedboat run in the rainy season?
Pattaya Mail's August 2026 guide says rough seas from May to October can suspend speedboat services. On our tour, if the sea is unsafe, the operator moves the trip to another date or refunds it.
Is the speedboat crossing included in your Koh Larn tour?
Yes. The price from $25 per person includes the speedboat from Pattaya to Koh Sak and Koh Larn and back, a guide on the boat, snorkelling equipment, a paddle board and bottled water. Lunch and water sports are paid on the spot.