P Plus Express vs Ruea Chor Maetapee
Compare P Plus Express and Ruea Chor Maetapee — routes, service areas, and coverage across Thailand. See where they overlap and where each operator goes its own way.
Operator A P Plus Express vs 
Operator B Ruea Chor Maetapee What travellers say: P Plus Express vs Ruea Chor Maetapee
Travellers who book these operators through ThailandBoatTickets.com share broadly positive feedback, with P Plus Express holding a modest edge in average ratings and volume of reviews.
P Plus Express
Reviewers consistently praise P Plus Express (4.21/5 from 29 reviews) for comfortable clean buses, friendly helpful drivers, and smooth pure-bus segments, while noting issues like unexpected minivan transfers, delays on cross-border routes, and occasional loud music or extra fees.
Ruea Chor Maetapee
Reviewers of Ruea Chor Maetapee (4.05/5 from 20 reviews) describe smooth safe overnight ferry arrivals and adequate basic ferry experiences, but flag unclear trip information, cold toilet-less buses, questionable cleanliness, and over-optimistic arrival times.
P Plus Express earns slightly stronger sentiment overall, especially for core bus comfort. For the best experience booking either operator, use ThailandBoatTickets.com and contact our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) on WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram or Facebook.
Pros & cons
P Plus Express Pros
- Comfortable, clean buses with luxury seats, TV and sound system on VIP options
- Polite, friendly and helpful drivers who assist with bags and announce stops
- Punctual departures on bus segments
- Smooth coordination and arrangement for combined bus + speedboat routes
- Friendly and helpful staff overall
Cons
- Unexpected and uncomfortable minivan transfers on combined or cross-border routes
- Significant delays and inaccurate schedules, especially on cross-border Penang trips
- Loud music on buses disrupting sleep
- Requests for extra fees such as passport stamping
- No onboard toilet on small VIP buses
Ruea Chor Maetapee Pros
- Smooth and safe ferry journeys arriving at Koh Tao Pier
- Adequate and sufficient for overnight ferry trips
Cons
- Unclear or missing trip information on routes, boarding points and transfers
- Misleading arrival times that do not match advertised earliest arrivals
- Cleanliness issues with filthy bathrooms on night boats
- Uncomfortable bus conditions including strong AC without blankets and no toilets
- Basic ferry beds and less convenient bathroom facilities
Service areas at a glance
Based on currently active routes for each operator.
Both operators 6
Only P Plus Express 9
Only Ruea Chor Maetapee 9
Routes & coverage compared
Both P Plus Express and Ruea Chor Maetapee operate routes from Surat Thani to Hat Yai, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang, allowing travelers to compare options for these key connections. Book these shared routes conveniently on ThailandBoatTickets.com, where our 24/7 Virtual Ticket Assistant (VTA) is available via WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Telegram, and Facebook for instant support.
P Plus Express uniquely serves routes from Hat Yai to Chumphon, Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Surat Thani, as well as from Surat Thani to Narathiwat, Pak Bara, Satun, Songkhla, and Yala. In contrast, Ruea Chor Maetapee offers exclusive connections from Koh Tao to Ao Nang, Hat Yai, Khao Lak, Khao Sok, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Phuket, Railay, and Surat Thani Bus Terminal, plus from Surat Thani to Ao Nang, Khao Lak, Khao Sok, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, and Railay, and airport transfers to Koh Tao and Surat Thani. Plan your unique itineraries on ThailandBoatTickets.com with assistance from our VTA.
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).
P Plus Express tickets usually fall between 590 THB–750 THB (median 600 THB), while Ruea Chor Maetapee between 460 THB–1,160 THB (median 810 THB). On the whole, P Plus Express offers the cheaper tickets.
Which should you pick?
Frequently asked questions
P Plus Express vs Ruea Chor Maetapee