Travel Hub : Getting to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai tours

Popular day tours

How to get to Chiang Mai
	Bangkok to Chiang Mai	Sukhothai to Chiang Mai
	Chiang Kong to Chiang Mai	North East Thailand to Chiang Mai

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.

International
Chiang Mai has its own International airport there are direct flights from numerous international destinations including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Taipei, Kunming, Jinghong. 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.

Bangkok to Chiang Mai
	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. Bangkok to Chiang Mai by Air There are now five different 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.

Sukhothai to Chiang Mai
	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 around 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

Chiang Kong to Chiang Mai
	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 2 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)

North East Thailand to Chiang Mai
	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. 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.