A new correlation method for the surface tension of fluids is proposed, which is based on friction theory applied to the interface of a two-phase system. The substance properties enter the model by a regular equation of state. Here we derive the method and test it with the Lennard-Jones 12-6 fluid as the reference. system using molecular dynamics simulations of the vapor-liquid interface in combination with a new Lennard-Jones 12-6 equation of state. Further correlations of experimental surface tension data based on the Peng-Robinson and the PC-SAFT equations of state are presented. As a result, we find that the method allows an accurate correlation of the surface tension of pure fluids.