Getting to Chiang Mai is quite easy. You can get to the northern capital of Thailand from different cities: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and others. There are a lot of ways and types of transport: bus, train, car or plane. Moreover, planes fly to Chiang Mai from other Asian cities.
In the northern capital there is an international airport "Chiang Mai International Airport". You can fly here not only from Bangkok, but also from other cities that are located near Thailand. The airport itself is very large. This is a very important facility in Chiang Mai, as many flights pass through it every day. For example, about 30 planes from Bangkok arrive here per day. This is only from one city!
Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Russia. The only option is to fly with a transfer. Tickets for domestic flights or between Asian countries should be purchased on the companies' websites. This will work out much cheaper. You can also buy air tickets at the box office on the spot, but this is not always convenient for tourists. The cost of a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai will cost you at least 1600 baht.
There are quite a few airlines here. Flights between cities in Thailand are operated by Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Air Asia, Nok Air. To buy an international flight ticket, please contact Air Asia, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Korean Airlines, Lao Airlines or Silk Air.
The airport is located three kilometers from Chiang Mai. The easiest and fastest way is a taxi. You can order it at the counter at the airport. It is located next to the baggage claim area. The cost of the trip will be 150 baht to any hotel. The price is fixed. The trip back on the same taxi will cost a little less.
If you want to hail a taxi yourself, immediately go to the airport parking after arrival. Almost all drivers have a meter installed, according to which they work. The trip will cost a little more - from 150 to 200 baht.
At the same parking lot you can find a fixed-route taxi. The ticket price per passenger will be approximately 70 baht. There are also tuk-tuks in the parking lot. The trip will cost 150 baht (this is the amount for all passengers), but if you wish, you can bargain.
Until 2011, tourists could also get to the hotel by bus, and this was the cheapest way. Now buses do not go here, so you have to get by taxi or other public transport.
Some hotels offer shuttle service to their guests. In some hotels it is even free. All this needs to be clarified at the time of booking the hotel.
The bus is the cheapest option for traveling in Thailand. This transport is especially popular, so the country has quite developed bus routes. You can get to Chiang Mai from any big city, and only in some cases you will have to make transfers. If you leave the southern part of Thailand, then in the capital you will need to transfer to another transport.
In addition to intercity buses, there are also tourist buses. You can get to the city quickly and comfortably. The cost of such a trip will be a little more expensive, but you will spend less time on the road. Despite all the advantages of these buses, some tourists consider them more dangerous. You can buy a ticket at any travel agency that provides such services. As a rule, buses depart and arrive in tourist areas.
The price for a ticket on intercity transport may be different. The cost depends on the level of comfort, the availability of any service and the speed of the bus. It is easy to guess that if these figures are higher, then you will have to pay more. VIP and first class buses are equipped with a toilet. They make few stops, so you get there much faster. If the vehicle has air conditioning, it will say "Air Conditioned or A/C". Ordinary buses in the schedule are marked with the word "Ordinary".
In Chiang Mai there is a station where buses from small towns arrive. It's called Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station. From it to the center of Chiang Mai can be reached by taxi or tuk-tuk. In the first case, the trip will cost you 70 baht per person, and in the other - 250-300 baht. Do not forget that the fare on a tuk-tuk is the price for all passengers, and not for one.
Also in the northern capital there is another station called "Chang Phuak Bus Station". A small number of buses arrive here, but mostly they are minivans.
Several buses depart from Pattaya to the northern capital every day. To do this, tourists need to come to the Nakhonchai bus station. It is located where Central Street meets Sukhumvit Highway. Tickets can be purchased at the offices of travel companies or at the station itself. It is better to do this in advance. The price for one ticket is 760 baht.
Some tourists say that you can buy a ticket at the ticket office of the northern station of the city, but it is still advisable to buy it at travel agencies. It is also possible to get to Chiang Mai by tourist bus.
There is another way, it lies in the fact that first you need to get to the capital of Thailand, and from here leave for Chiang Mai. First you buy a ticket in Pattaya. Upon arrival, you need to immediately go to the ticket office at the station in Bangkok. You do not need to spend the night in the capital, and the transplant itself takes place in the same place. A significant minus is still a trip with transfers.
From the capital of Thailand to Chiang Mai can be reached by regular intercity bus. All routes start from Mo Chit station. The trip will last approximately ten hours. The ticket price varies from 550 to 850 baht. Buses run quite often. The first flight is at 5:30 and the last one is at 22:00. As a rule, buses depart at intervals of one hour.
Also, tourists can come to the station and already here buy a ticket for the next flight at the box office. You can also do this in the offices of various travel agencies in Bangkok. The main thing is not to confuse an intercity bus with a tourist one. A nice bonus is a transfer from the hotel to the station itself.
You can also take the tourist bus. Naturally, such a trip will cost more.
From the city of Chiang Rai to the northern capital, buses leave from two stations: one of them is old, and the second is new. All routes go to Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station. The price for one ticket is 200 - 500 baht. The first bus leaves at 06:00. Flights every half an hour. The VIP bus will travel for 3 hours without stopping anywhere. Less comfortable vehicles travel longer.
Thailand has very good rail links. Traveling by train is much more comfortable, and the trip itself will cost you inexpensively. Tickets are pretty cheap. All trains leave from Hualamphong Train Station. It is not possible to get from other cities without transfers. You will first have to get to the capital, and from here again take the train to Chiang Mai. Six trains depart from Bangkok every day.
The ticket price will depend on the class of the carriage. The cheapest option is a seat in a third-class carriage without air conditioning. The cost of such a ticket will be approximately 300 baht. A seat in a comfortable compartment will cost you 1700 baht. The price also includes meals (lunch or dinner). Children under 3 years old and height below 100 cm are allowed to travel free of charge. Passengers under 11 years old and shorter than 150 cm can only pay half the price.
All wagons are divided into three classes. The higher the level of comfort, the more the ticket will cost.
The station staff carefully monitor the condition of each carriage - everywhere is clean. So you can safely give preference to tickets with a lower cost.
It is better to buy tickets in advance. As a rule, a passenger can purchase a ticket 60 days before the trip, especially before the holidays. During the New Year (or Thai New Year, which is celebrated in April), tickets sell out very quickly. You can buy a ticket at the Hualamphong train station in the Thai capital, but it's much more convenient to do it using the Internet.
You can make a purchase on one of the specialized sites. All tickets are sold with a small commission. Online sales close two days before departure. You can buy a ticket using Visa or Mastercard bank cards. If you wish, you can send an e-ticket to the post office so that you can print it later. It is also possible to purchase a ticket along with delivery to a hotel in Bangkok or any other city or even country. Naturally, for an additional fee.
It is called Chiang Mai Railway Station. Located three kilometers from the city center. Upon arrival, you will have several options: you can get to the hotel by regular taxi, fixed-route taxi or tuk-tuk. Some hotels are very close. If desired, they can be reached on foot.
If you want to see Chiang Mai, choose a plane. There are many different airlines here, from expensive ones to low-cost ones. The airport is located very close to the northern capital. It is quite small and it is almost impossible to get lost here.
If you have no time limit, you can take a bus or train ticket. On the way from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, you can see many beautiful places and attractions.
