Getting to Koh Phangan is a breeze!

Planes

Thai Airways flies to Surathani daily. This costs about 2000 baht one way. You then take the transfer to the ferry pier, and boat to Koh Phangan. Solar Air flies to Chumphon, while Air Asia flies to Nakon Sri Thammarat, all cheap!

Bangkok Airways is certainly the best, and most expensive at over 4000 baht from Bangkok to Koh Samui. The benefit is that you only have a one hour boat trip from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan. Thus the entire trip only takes little over 2 hours. There are up to 20 flights a day in the high season.

Buses

Buses depart from both Khao Sarn Rd (backpacker's area) and the Southern Bus terminal in Bangkok. A typical ticket with boat connection will cost about 700 baht - 1200 baht. VIP buses can be a bit of a rip-off, with broken seats, and not much value for the extra money you pay. Be cautious of theft from bags and money belts while on the bus. The southern bus route is particularly notorious for this. Buses usually depart Bangkok around 5pm, and arrive Surathani early morning taking you straight to the ferry port for the 4 hour journey to Koh Phangan. Lomprayah sell joint tickets, which offer a much better service than Songserm, but are more expensive.

Trains

Train travel is far superior. The 2nd class seat, is similar price to the bus, and much more comfortable. Moving up from this is the 2nd class sleeper. This will cost (excluding boat), about 1000 baht, and is definately the best way to travel other than flying. Beds are clean, and you feel human when you wake up in the morning. Trains leave mostly in the evening, (5 or 6 leaving between 5pm - 8pm, from Hua Lampong central station), arriving Surathani in the early morning where buses will meet you and take you to the pier for Koh Phangan. There is also a day train, but it does not connect with the boat services quite as smoothly.

Which Boat is that?
Four companies run boats to Koh Phangan from the mainland. Songserm with rickety old rust buckets; Raja car ferry, good in rough seas; and Lomprayah, the pick of the crop, fast, safe and clean. Seatran has a very fast express boat that goes to Samui and Koh Tao. Songserm and Raja take about 3 and a half hours, while Lomprayah does the trip in 2 hours. There is also the classic night boat, getting in very early morning. It is reasonably comfortable, but not totally safe in bad seas. The Hadrin Queen operates from Big Buddha on Samui to Hadrin Beach. It departs Samui daily at 10:30, 13:00 and 16:00, and again at 18:30, taking about one hour. This is a very good option if you're flying to Samui, because Big Buddha is only 10 minutes away from the airport. The Lomprayah Speed Catamaran also sails between Mae Nam on Samui to Thongasala. This costs about 300 baht and takes 20 minutes on a calm day.