Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Other Options

Chiang Mai to Bangkok Schedule

Chiang Mai to Bangkok Schedule
Transport NameRoute TimePrice
BangkokTaxi24 VIP Van 8pax Any time$ 362.27
Sombat Tour VIP 31 07:30 - 18:00$ 26.43
Thai AirAsia Economy #FD410108:30 - 09:45฿ 1,696
Thai AirAsia Economy #FD900010:25 - 11:45฿ 5,268
Bangkok Air Economy 12:50 - 19:20฿ 11,150
Thai Vietjet Economy #VZ11114:40 - 16:00฿ 1,979
Thai Vietjet Economy #VZ10716:05 - 17:25฿ 1,946
Thai Railways VIP Sleeper 18:00 - 06:50฿ 1,943
Thai Smile Economy #WE12121:10 - 22:30฿ 3,555
Thai AirAsia Economy #FD342023:30 - 00:40฿ 1,914

How to get from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Getting from Chiang Mai to Bangkok overland is easy and straightforward. There are direct trains linking the terminus of the northern line of the state railway of Thailand with Hua Lamphong train station in Bangkok. Numerous buses connecting the northern capital with major provincial centers around the country depart throughout the day from the Arcade Bus Station. If you travel by car, exit Chiang Mai via Route 11 and switch to Route 1 at Lampang. Depending on the means of transport you choose, the whole journey lasts anywhere between 9 and 14 hours.

From Chiang Mai to Bangkok by bus

Buses between Chiang Mai and Bangkok are frequent. The route is served by a number of companies, so you have a wide choice of the operators and type of buses. Buses take about 10 hours to reach the capital making several stops en route at large gas stations with a number of forecourt operators including 7/Eleven or Jiffy convenience stores, Amazon coffee shops and the like. There are toilets on board and at the gas stations, too.

Buses from Chiang Mai to Bangkok depart form the Arcade Bus Station which is located east from the Old City, some three km away. You can get there by tuk-tuk or songthaew. There is a in-city bus station in Chiang Mai, too, which is connected with the larger Arcade Bus Station by songthaews.

In Bangkok, buses arrive to the Northern Bus Terminal, Morchit. Note that it is located at the outskirts of the city, and if you arrive late in the evening – e.g. with New Viriyayanyon Tour 7am–5pm bus at THB643 or Bangkok Busline 10.30am–8.30pm bus at THB551 – make sure you have your accommodation booked as it is not a good idea to cruise around in the dark in a hope to find a good place to sleep.

There are a lot of night buses departing from Chiang Mai between 6pm and 8pm, all arriving to Bangkok between 4.30am and 6am. These include Bangkok Busline at 6.35pm (arrives at 4.35am), 7.15pm (5.40am), 8pm (6.25am) and 8pm (6.00am) at THB551, THB643, THB857 and THB551 correspondingly and a 7.30pm (5.55am) Lignite Tour bus which cost THB643. The most expensive are VIP24 buses which have 3 seats in a row instead of usual four and thus provide you with more space. The cheapest ones are standard express buses which are also ok, but may feel a bit too cramped for a Western traveller. VIP buses offer a good balance between the price you pay and the level of comfort you get.

From Chiang Mai to Bangkok by train

The northern railway line, which connects Chiang Mai to Bangkok, is the busiest one of the whole Thai railway network. Trains leave throughout the day providing you with a wide choice of options to get from the northern capital of Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The railway journey from Chiang Mai to Bangkok takes from eleven to 14 hours and may be as smooth as silk or a real nightmare – depending on which ticket you book. So before booking a particular train double-check which kind of seats you are about to buy.

Note: Please note that even with the first class sleeper you will not get a brand-new coach, but it will nonetheless be clean and quite comfortable, and the service is normally very good, even though the staff do not speak English at all or speak minimal English.

The best way to travel from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is with a night first or second class sleeper. Berths in Thai trains are wide and each of them in equipped with curtains which pull together and provide you with enough privacy for you long journey. The two most convenient departures are train #14 at 5pm and train #2 at 6pm. #14 arrives to the Hua Lamphong train station in Bangkok at 6.15am and has a second class AC sleeper at THB1081 and a first class single sleeper which is the most luxurious way of a railway travel in Thailand. Tickets cost THB2253 and which is a great investment taking into consideration the duration of the trip.

Train #2 is the most popular choice to travel from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. It has normal second class AC sleepers and women-only second class AC sleepers at the same price of THB1081 and a first class AC sleeper double occupancy at THB1073. It reaches Hua Lamphong by 6.50am.

There is one more sleeper, #52, which leaves Chiang Mai at 3.30pm and arrives to the capital at 5.25am. The schedule is a bit inconvenient, but a lower price for a second class AC sleeper somehow compensates (THB1021).

Tip: If you wish to have more space, book a lower berth in a sleeper as it is nearly half wider than the upper one. If you are travelling with a baby, the lower berth is your best choice.

Two morning trains, #102 at 6.30am and #8 at 8.50am, offer seats only. #102 is the slowest (the trip from Chiang Mai to Bangkok lasts nearly 15 hours!) and the cheapest one (THB591) from the bunch, but it has only fan coaches and we do not recommend taking it if you have other options available.

Train #8 is the fastest train between Chiang Mai and Bangkok and covers the whole distance in 10½ hours. It has second class AC seats only and can be considered, too, especially because it gives you a great chance to admire the country-side scenery by daylight – well, and do some people-watching of your fellow passengers.

Tip: As a rule, there is a dining carriage in the train, but to make thing ever easier for passengers – oh yes, you are in Thailand! – food vendors patrol the carriages, so snacks and refreshments are never in short supply. Note though, that it is illegal to sell any alcoholic beverages on the train.

From Chiang Mai to Bangkok by plane

Astonishingly low airfare from Chiang Mai to Bangkok offered by several budget airlines has already made many of the most ardent buffs of buses and trains to set eyes on air travel. Cutting travel time from Chiang Mai to Bangkok from 12 hours to 1½ hour, low cost carriers do a really great job.

One of the latest additions to the low cost carries scene in Thailand, an associate of the Indonesia-based Lion Air company, Thai Lion Air makes 10 daily flights between Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Tickets cost from THB1000 to THB2000 per person and include 15 kg of checked-in luggage and 7 kg of cabin luggage. You can depart from Chiang Mai as early as 6.50am to reach Bangkok by 8.20am. The last flight from Chiang Mai is scheduled at 10pm sharp.

Chiang Mai International Airport is located only a couple of kilometers southwest of the old city and is easily reachable by tuk-tuks, songthaews and taxis. The fare from many locations in the city to the airport is even lower than the fare from the airport to the city and is usually about THB100. One of the four busiest airports of the country, Chiang Mai Airport has ATMs, post office, medical service, restaurants and all other services a traveler may fancy.

In Bangkok Lion Air is based in Don Mueang International Airport to the north of the capital. It is connected with the city by airport shuttle buses (routes A1 and A2). A1 terminates at Morchit bus terminal calling en route to Morchit BTS. A2 heads to Morchit BTS first and then proceeds to Saphan Kwai BTS, Ari BTS, Sanam Pao BTS and finally reaches the Victory Monument (THB30). Travel time depends on traffic and is from 60 to 80 minutes. There are commuter trains between Don Mueang airport and Hua Lamphong train station, too. Trains take about 50 minutes to get from the railway station to the airport and are always a secure bet. Operating time is from 3.10am till 10.15pm.

Are you sure you have seen enough of the North?

A three-hour drive from Chiang Mai to Pai is not for faint-hearted – or those with a weak stomach. But if you survive 762 turns from Chiang Mai to Pai (yes, you have read it right – seven hundred sixty two), you will be rewarded with an incomparable quiet beauty of the Pai Valley and a laid-back vibe of once lost-in-the-middle-of-nowhere village which even today, with hundreds of tourists cruising its streets daily, still preserves that old-school, comfy air of a small secret paradise. Book your journey from Chiang Mai to Pai with Prem Pracha VIP24 bus for THB195. They have buses every hour from 6.30am till 5.30pm. There are minibuses plying the same route, but in a big bus you are less likely to suffer from nausea.

Prem Pracha also operates one bus a day from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, which is further northwest from Pai. Mae Hong Son is a chilled-out destination and a great place to admire less visited waterfalls, pumper yourself in local mineral mud spas or get acquainted with tribal culture. Prem Pracha bus departs from Chiang Mai at 9pm and reaches Mae Hong Son at 2.15am; tickets cost THB378.

Transportation from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Chiang Mai to Bangkok Destination Reviews

DB
If you have a long trip like... more than 8hs like me... the better option is with bed. I took the other one and was horrible. The train of dead. I repeat... only with beds and air conditioned for long trip.
Train #52 2nd Class Fan seats only, Thai Railway (การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย), Mar 25, 2023
JB
impossible to pay with my valid credit card, and you take around 100 baht (3 euros for the paypal transaction, 30bhat more the other online services. Too late. The bus was ... ok.
Bus Express, Bangkok Busline (บางกอกบัสไลน์), Mar 24, 2023
GH
Pleasantly surprised by the comfort of this bus. Chairs are as pictured with ability to recline in a way that doesn't impact the person sat behind you. The facilities are similar to a flight with an attendant providing drinks and food (complimentary) we even had a hot meal of rice and spicy mince. Toilet was clean. TV had a GPS to watch the journey, games, a usb point etc just need your own wired headphones to use it. Excellent value for money.
Bus First Class, Nakhonchai Air (นครชัยแอร์), Mar 23, 2023
A
Pretty good. Decent sleep and sheets seemed clean but I brought my own pillowcase. No meal service but vendors getting on in the beginning. Toilet is a squat toilet and not pleasant. Train is slow. Maybe 20km/h
Train #14 2nd Class Sleeper AC, Thai Railway (การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย), Mar 17, 2023
KD
Very good. Good feet space and seats that could be adjusted!
Bus Express, Bangkok Busline (บางกอกบัสไลน์), Mar 16, 2023
EC
We took the VIP one and didnt regret it. A meal is served when you enter, and the bus is comfy for a night bus. Like everywhere in Asia, the maximum comfort can only be obtain if you are no more than 5’’, but the overall experience was really good. Also, friendly and helpful staff.
Bus First Class, Nakhonchai Air (นครชัยแอร์), Mar 15, 2023
MN
This is some ass ride!
Bus First Class, Nakhonchai Air (นครชัยแอร์), Mar 12, 2023
M
+: The bus was very comfortable, nice seats to sleep, much space. Friendly steward, but didn’t speak English which was difficult for communication and questions. We received water and a snack. -: Unfortunately there was no information at the beginning if we will stop somewhere to pick up other Passangers or if we will make a break and when. From Chiang Mai to Bangkok we didn’t take the highway and drove very slowly and picked up people from many places, which took so much time, so that we didn’t come on time to Bangkok, but 1 hour later. So many of us must take a taxi to the airport and has extra costs. we hat only one break after half of the time (10.5 hours driving and only 20 minutes break).
Bus Express, Bangkok Busline (บางกอกบัสไลน์), Mar 8, 2023
NW
3rd class was better than expected! Very comfy seats, just a bit narrow. Little delay, but overall very good experience. Felt exhausted after a 14hrs ride, but that's normal. People selling food and drinks on a regular basis. Toilet was very clean! Overall a very good, but long experience!
Train #102 Class 3 Fan, Thai Railway (การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย), Mar 8, 2023
DP
The bus was on time, the staff was friendly. Didn’t speak English but gave us all relevant information by using google translate on the phone. One stop for food (free with the bus ticket), snacks and water also provided. Comfortable seats. Quite cold, but ok with some long clothes. I’m 1,78 and had a lot of space for my legs. Appreciated that very much!
Bus Express, Bangkok Busline (บางกอกบัสไลน์), Mar 7, 2023
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