Satun has no airport, train station, or major bus terminal of its own. The nearest airport is Hat Yai (about 2 hours by road) and the nearest train station is also Hat Yai. Shared taxis (songthaews) and minivans connect Satun with Hat Yai throughout the day and are the most common way to arrive.
From the Malaysian side, Satun is reachable by ferry from Kuala Perlis and by road from Padang Besar (where there is a land border crossing). The sea crossing from Kuala Perlis (in Malaysian Perlis state) to Tammalang Pier is a short and convenient way to enter Thailand from Malaysia without going through the congested border at Sadao.
Tammalang Pier, about 9 km south of the town centre, is where the island ferries depart. Songthaews connect the pier with town. During the high season (November to April), speedboats to Ko Lipe and Ko Tarutao run several times a day; in the monsoon season (May to October) the park is closed and ferry services stop.