Chiangmai Transportation
- Getting to Chiang Mai
 Chiang
Mai is about 800km north of Bangkok and a 90-minute journey by air.
It is connected to Bangkok by rail as well as road, and has air
connections to several international destinations.
There are several ways of getting to Chiang Mai, including bus,
train and airplane. Bus is the cheapest but least comfortable. Many
opt for the overnight sleeper train which takes longer, however,
the introduction of cheap flights for as little as 1000 baht (£15/$20)
one-way has diverted popularity.
Chiang Mai International Airport has connections to and from Bangkok,
Phuket, Singapore, Luang Prabang, Taipei, Kunming, Rangoon, Mandalay
and Chittakong, as well as domestic flights to Mae Hong Son and
Chiang Rai. There are at least 30 flights a day between Chiang Mai
and Bangkok on a variety of airlines, with the recent introduction
of budget fares from AirAsia, Taksin Air and Orient Thai. These
should be booked online at least three weeks in advance. Singapore
Airlines flies to and from Chiang Mai on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
Getting to Chiang Mai by train is another popular option with budget
travellers. There are eight trains a day, of differing classes and
speeds, and they leave at 06:55, 08:30, 16:00, 16:45, 17:50, 20:30,
21:00. The journey can be painfully slow (11 hours) and the overnight
sleeper is recommended. All trains departing from 16:00 onwards
have comfortable bunks (some without air-conditioning), except the
20:30 departure. We suggest a second class (741 baht) bottom bunk
on the 17:50, as the best option. Trains depart from the Hua Lampong
Station and have full food services onboard at reasonable prices.
Buses depart at least every hour between 05:30 and 22:00 from Mo
Chit Station and take roughly 10 hours, with a similar schedule
in reverse from Chiang Mai's Eastern (Main) Bus Terminal. We recommend
VIP buses (fare 400 - 600 baht), offered by either the government
or private companies. These can also be arranged from travel agents
on Khao San Road and at other points around the city, but be wary
of agents who promise services that aren't delivered, such as reclining
seats and aircon. Dress warmly as the Thais love freezing air conditioning
and prefer to sit up all night watching noisy videos onboard.
You can also hire a car in Bangkok or elsewhere for getting to
Chiang Mai, and drive up at your own leisure, stopping off in Ayutthaya
and Sukothai. The countryside is quite pretty and you enter the
mountains from Tak or Pitsanalok onwards.
Once in Chiang Mai, getting around is easily done by flagging down
a tuk tuk or songtaew. Negotiate your fare beforehand with the tuk
tuk driver (50 baht for a 10 minute journey - most places within
the centre) or hop aboard one of the red songteaw trucks which act
as an informal transport system and will take you along a popular
route for 10 baht, but may deliver you to your hotel for a little
more. There is a very limited bus service in Chiang Mai. Hiring
bicycles or motorbikes/scooters is also popular and practical.
By Car
From Bangkok drive on Highway No.1 (Phahonyothin) to Highway No.32
passing the provinces of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, and
Nakhon Sawan, then take Highway No. 117 to Phitsanulok and drive
on to Highway No. 11 to Lampang, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The route
is 695 kilometres.
From Bangkok drive to Nakhon Sawan and then take Highway No. 1 passing
Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, and Chiang Mai. The route is 696 kilometres
By Bus - Buses to Chiang Mai depart regularly from Kampaeng
Phet 2 Northen bus station.Bus will take
you on the 10-hour journey from Bangkok can be made on air-conditioned
coaches and non- airconditioned
uses originating from the Northern Bus Terminal on Bangkok's Kampaeng
Phet 2 Road
(Tel: 0-2936-3600 or 0-2937-8055)
By Rail
Air-conditioned trains make the 750 kilometer journey to ChiangMai.The
State Railways of Thailand
(Tel: 1690 or 0-2223-7020) operates daily services from Bangkok's
Hualumphong Railway Station including a popular overnight sleeper.
By Air
Thai Airways (Tel:1566 or 0-2280-0060) operated daily flights from
Bangkokto Chiang Mai and flights from Chiang Mai to other northern
Thai cities.
Bangkok Airways has 2 daily flights connecting Chiang Mai with
Bangkok. In addition, they have daily flights
servicing the Chiang Mai-Sukhothai route. For more information,
contact their Bangkok office at tel. 02 265 5555, 265 5678
Phuket Air offers 2 daily shuttle service flights from Chiang Mai
to Chiang Rai with YS-11 aircraft. The journey takes only 40 minutes
and the flight times are at 07.30 a.m. and 6.00 p. m. For more information,
call Bangkok Office 66 2679-8999 or Chiang Mai Office 66 5392 2118-9
Nok Air call 1318 or visit www.nokair.co.th for reservations. Apart
from Bangkok-Chiang mai flight, the airlines also operate flights
between Chiang mai and Udon Thani twice aweek.
Orient Thai Airlines, call 02 267 2999
Partner Sites
www.hotel-chiangmai.com
| www.chiang-mai-hotels.net
| www.1chiangmai.com
Provided
by Tourism Authority of Thailand
|
