How to get here |
| Chiang
Mai is situated about 700 km north of Bangkok in the Mae
Ping River basin. Chiang Mai borders Myanmar to the north,
Lamphun and Tak Provinces to the south, Chiang Rai, Lampang
and Lamphun Provinces to the east and Mae Hong Son Province
to the west. |
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International |
| Chiang
Mai has its own International airport there are direct
flights from numerous international destinations including
Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Luang Prabang, Seoul, Kunming.
Chiang Mai is also well connected by air from Bangkok,
one of South East Asia’s main gateway airports making
Chiang Mai well connected with most major cities worldwide. |
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Bangkok
to Chiang Mai |
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Most
visitors will come directly from Bangkok and from here
you will have a range of options. Chiang Mai is well
connected from Bangkok by road, train and air.
Bangkok
to Chiang Mai by bus
Government
licensed buses leave Bangkok’s main northern bus
terminal (Mochit) throughout the day with departures approximately
every hour although you will find there will be a higher
concentration of departures in the evenings and mornings.
Tickets can be booked at the bus station itself. It is
usually no problem to arrive at the bus station on the
day you want to travel and buy a ticket before boarding
the bus. However at Thai holiday times you will be advised
to book ahead. Some travel agents in Bangkok can book
tickets for these government licensed buses for a small
fee. There is also the option of a tourist bus which departs
from the Khao San Road area of Bangkok. Tickets for this
bus can be bought from most travel agencies in the Khao
San Road area. The journey time from Bangkok to Chiang
Mai is approx. 10-11 hours
Bangkok
to Chiang Mai by Train
The
sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai can be a very
comfortable option. A number of sleeper trains leave
Bangkok’s main Hualumpong station in the evenings.
Journey times vary between 12 and 14 hours but with
the prospect of a good night’s sleep the added
journey time should not be a problem. Day seating trains
are also available.
Bangkok
to Chiang Mai by Air
There
are now five airlines flying the Bangkok to Chiang Mai
route each with multiple departures a day. The competition
has meant that prices are low and with all the low cost
airlines flying the route you don't need to pay much
for a ticket. Nok Air, One-Two-Go and some Thai Airlines
flights now depart the reopened and older Don Muang
Airport. Air Asia and Bangkok Airlines flights depart
from the newer Suvarnabhumi Airport. It is recommended
that you check the departure airport with your agent
at the time of booking. Bangkok to Chiang Mai flying
time is around one hour. |
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Sukhothai to Chiang Mai
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Many
will break the long trip up to Chiang Mai from Bangkok
with a stop at the historical town of Sukhothai. Sukhothai
is about half way between Chiang Mai and Bangkok so
it makes an excellent stop off to break up an otherwise
long journey.
Sukhothai
to Chiang Mai by bus
Government
licensed buses leave the main Sukhothai bus station
approximately every hour for the five hour trip to Chiang
Mai. Tickets can usually be bought on the day or just
before travel or you can buy in advance. Advance booking
is usually only required at peak Thai holiday times.
There is no longer any tourist minibus service running
on this route.
Sukhothai
to Chiang Mai by train
Sukhothai
doesn't have a train station although you do have the
option of taking a bus to Phitsanulok first (50km) then
boarding the train there but you will find the bus is
a lot more convenient. Also the combined travel time
could be up to 8 hours this way allowing waiting time
for the train in Phitsanulok.
Sukhothai
to Chiang Mai by air
Surprisingly
Sukhothai does have its own small airport which is owned
by Bangkok Airways. Bangkok Airways does the run from
Sukhothai to Chiang Mai. Flight time is around 45 minutes.
The flight is usually only available in the high season. |
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Chiang Kong to Chiang Mai
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If
you have been to Laos you may find yourself crossing
back into Thailand at the Chiang Kong border post. Options
from here include a government licensed bus or the tourist
minibus service
Chiang
Kong to Chiang Mai by bus
Presently
there are two departures daily for the tourist minibus
from Chiang Kong to Chiang Mai journey time is around
the five hour mark. Tickets can be purchased from most
guesthouses in Chiang Kong. There is a direct government
licensed bus which takes seven hours but there is only
one morning departure and the route it takes isn't the
quickest way to Chiang Mai. If you want to take a government
licensed bus then take a local bus to Chiang Rai first
then from there, there are frequent buses running to
Chiang Mai (departures approx. every hour) |
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North East Thailand to Chiang Mai
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If
you are planning a route from the north east of Thailand
(Isan region) to Chiang Mai travel options will be more
limited.
North
East Thailand to Chiang Mai by air
The
only direct flights from North east Thailand to Chiang
Mai are from Udon Thani. Nok Air does this run. And
the flying time is approx one hour. If you have just
arrived in Thailand from Vientiane in Laos then this
could be a convenient option for a fast passage to Chiang
Mai.
Update This flight route has now been
cancelled please contact Travel Hub for more information.
North
East Thailand to Chiang Mai by bus
There
are direct inter-city government licensed buses from
some of the larger cities in the north east including
Udon Thani and Nakon Ratchasima. Chiang Mai isn’t
well connected by road from the Isan region so journey
times are long. Usually 12 hours+.
North
East Thailand to Chiang Mai by train
The
only train line running to Chiang Mai is the main Bangkok-Chiang
Mai line. So travel by train from the north east will
involve a train ride back down to Bangkok first then
a change of trains to Chiang Mai. |
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Tuk
Tuk |
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If
you arrive in Chiang Mai from Bangkok I am sure you will already
be familiar with the ubiquitous tuk tuk. Negotiate the fare
before jumping aboard. They are good for short journeys around
town but many tuk tuks will be happy to take you to some of
Chiang Mai’s surrounding attractions especially during
the day when business can be otherwise slow. |
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Songtaew |
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Songtaew
(meaning 2 rows in Thai, which refer to the 2 seating benches
in the back) are little more that modified pickups but presently
they are the backbone of the public transport system in Chiang
Mai. They work on a shared basis, you just tell the driver where
you want to go and if he is heading in that direction just jump
in the back. Current fares are 15 baht for a short journey and
20 baht for longer journeys. They can also be chartered on an
individual basis. |
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Public
bus |
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Chiang
Mai now has its own city air-con public bus service. The main
problem facing the visitor to Chiang Mai is the lack of information.
Bus stops are not clearly marked and routings and timetables
are not displayed. The fare is 15 baht for any journey and some
of the routings could be useful for the visitor to Chiang Mai.
The Chiang Mai Night Safari and the Arcade bus station are both
well connected. An efficient public bus service is a welcome
addition to the public transport options in Chiang Mai. Over
time it may reduce the publics reliance on the red songtaews
which are themselves a big cause of traffic congestion and pollution
in Chiang Mai. |
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Metered
taxi |
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Chiang
Mai now has Bangkok style metered taxis, there are not so many
around and unlike most of the Bangkok taxis the use of meters
is not staright forward. Most drivers will add surcharges to
the meter price depending on where you are picked up, distance
from town and the time of day. Just check the surcharge price
before departure and check that the driver will use his meter. |
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Car
& driver |
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Outside
some of the more popular guesthouses and hotels you may find
private vehicles with driver for hire. Rates can be very reasonable.
Negotiate the fare before departure and don’t forget to
ask whether fuel is included. |
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Samlor |
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A
dying breed in Chiang Mai. Every year there are less and less
on the roads. The Samlor is a three wheeled bicycle with a seat
on the back which can accommodate two people. The riders of
these Samlors all seem to be elderly men and quite understandably
the young generation has little interest in taking up the profession,
especially amongst Chiang Mai's chaotic traffic. |
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Bicycle |
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Cycling
could be a very pleasant way of getting around town but unfortunately
the traffic in Chiang Mai spoils this. However in the old city
(where there is less traffic) cycling can still be a pleasant
experience and is a good way of getting around to some of Chiang
Mai’s more interesting temples. Take care when riding
as bicycles are at the bottom of the food chain when it comes
to driving on Thailand's roads! |
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Motorbike |
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Motorbikes
are cheap to rent and plentiful in Chiang Mai. Make sure you
check the condition of the bike before you take it out of the
hire shop and draw attention to any scratches or damage. For
a small extra fee many hire shops can add insurance to the bike.
Ask for details before hire. |
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Private
hire car |
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Same
rules apply as hiring a motorbike. Check the car thoroughly
and study the insurance which comes with it. A good searching
ground for motorbike and car hire is along the Moonmuang Rd
by the moat there are a lot of places here offering a good variety
of cars. There is also a branch of Budget Car Hire in town. |
