Nara Travel vs Montanatip
Compare Nara Travel and Montanatip — routes, service areas, and coverage across Thailand. See where they overlap and where each operator goes its own way.
Operator A Nara Travel vs 
Operator B Montanatip What travellers say: Nara Travel vs Montanatip
Travellers give Nara Travel a higher average rating of 4.24/5 from 82 reviews compared with Montanatip's 3.71/5 from 709 reviews, reflecting clearer strengths alongside shared transfer challenges.
Nara Travel
Reviewers consistently praise Nara Travel for its comfortable main bus with reclining seats, USB ports and blankets, free meals or snacks often in Surat Thani, helpful drivers, and generally smooth or on-time arrivals. The main complaints focus on too many stops, confusing multi-leg transfers involving cramped minivans, occasional wrong drop-off points and minor upcharge issues.
Montanatip
Reviewers note Montanatip offers good value with a comfortable VIP coach, blanket, water and snack on the main leg, plus friendly Bangkok staff, but frequently criticise poor communication, long unexplained waits at Surat Thani, pushy upselling of transfers, cramped minivans, dirty toilets and unreliable amenities on some vehicles.
Nara Travel receives stronger overall sentiment for reliability and comfort on core legs, while Montanatip draws more mixed feedback due to transfer disorganisation. Book either operator easily at ThailandBoatTickets.com, where our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) is available via WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram and Facebook to help plan multi-leg journeys.
Pros & cons
Nara Travel Pros
- Comfortable main bus leg with reclining seats, USB-C outlets, blankets and spacious feel
- Free meals, snacks and watermelon stops often included, especially in Surat Thani
- Helpful and friendly drivers who provide name boards and assistance
- Efficient smooth connections with buses waiting on ferry arrival and frequent on-time or early arrivals
- Strong customer service examples including proactive rebooking and refunds
Cons
- Too many unscheduled stops turning short trips long and exceeding estimated times
- Chaotic transfers involving multiple shuttles, minivans and buses with little explanation
- Wrong or distant drop-off points requiring extra taxis
- Cramped, hot and uncomfortable minivan legs as the weak point
- Boarding and meeting-point confusion due to offices inside hotels or away from piers
Montanatip Pros
- Good value for money with budget-friendly pricing that gets travellers to their destination
- Comfortable main VIP coach with reclining seats, blankets, water and snacks
- Frequent on-time or early arrivals and convenient overnight travel saving hotel costs
- Friendly and helpful staff especially at Bangkok/Khao San end
- Ferry leg generally described as fine or good
Cons
- Poor communication leaving travellers uninformed about changes, waits and drop-offs
- Long unexplained waits of 1-4 hours at Surat Thani transfer hub often in the middle of the night
- Delays, breakdowns and lateness ranging from 30 minutes to several hours
- VIP upgrade failing to deliver full premium experience with switches to cramped minivans
- Cramped overloaded minivans, dirty toilets, overly cold or leaking AC and wrong drop-off points
Service areas at a glance
Based on currently active routes for each operator.
Both operators 17
Only Nara Travel 3
Only Montanatip 4
Routes & coverage compared
Both Nara Travel and Montanatip operate the same core routes including Bangkok to Ao Nang, Hat Yai, Khao Lak, Khao Sok, Koh Lanta, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket, Railay, Surat Thani and Trang, plus return legs from Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Krabi to Bangkok or Koh Chang. Book these overlapping services at ThailandBoatTickets.com where our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) is available on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram and Facebook.
Nara Travel alone runs Bangkok to Koh Lipe and Koh Phaluai, plus Khao Sok to Ao Nang, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Krabi and Surat Thani, Koh Lanta and Koh Tao connections to Koh Chang or Koh Kood, and various Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani extensions to islands or Khao Sok. Montanatip alone covers Hua Hin routes to Ao Nang, Chumphon, Hat Yai, Khao Lak and islands, Pattaya departures to multiple islands and Khao Sok, Ao Nang to Koh Chang or Hua Hin, Koh Chang loops to Khao Lak, Phuket and Railay, plus Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin or Koh Tao. Plan and book these exclusive options at ThailandBoatTickets.com with our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram and Facebook.
Routes both operators run
Same departure and destination — true head-to-head options.
Price distribution
How ticket prices spread across each operator's routes (THB).
Nara Travel tickets usually fall between 1,180 THB–1,900 THB (median 1,370 THB), while Montanatip between 1,150 THB–1,980 THB (median 1,480 THB). Overall the two operators sit in a similar price range.
Which should you pick?
Frequently asked questions
Nara Travel vs Montanatip