How to get to Chiang Rai

Bangkok – Chiang Rai

By Air Thai Airways has daily flights connecting Bangkok with Chiang Rai. For more information, contact their Bangkok office at tel. 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000, the Chiang Rai Office tel. 0 5371 1179, 0 5371 5207, or view their website at www.thaiairways.com

One-Two-Go offers daily flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. Call 1126 or book online at http://www.fly12go.com

SGA offers flights to Chiang Rai. Call 0 2664 6099 or visit: www.sga.co.th

By Bus The coach ride from Bangkok to Chiang Rai is probably best made overnight since passengers can avail themselves of sleep prior to an early morning arrival. There are both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned bus services from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Mochit 2 Bus Terminal) on Kamphaengphet 2 Road. The journey may take approximately 9-11 hours.

By Car Take Highway No. 1 (Phahonyothin Road), turn to route No. 32 passing Ayutthaya, Angthong and Singburi Provinces and change to route No. 11 passing Phitsanulok, Uttaradit and Phrae Provinces then turn left to Highway No. 103, drive through to Ngao District and turn right onto Highway No. 1 which takes you to Phayao and Chiang Rai Provinces. The total distance is 785 km.

By Rail There is no direct train to Chiang Rai. You have to take a train to Lampang
(9 hrs. from Bangkok) or Chiang Mai (11 hrs.) and then take a bus to Chiang Rai. (2 hrs. from Lampang and 1.30 hrs. from Chiang Mai) For more details, call the State Railway of Thailand, 1690 (hotline), or 0 2223 7010 or 0 2223 7020.

Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai

By Bus Chiang Rai is 182 kilometers north of Chiang Mai. Air conditioned buses leave 12 times daily from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal to Chiang Rai. Some buses continue to Mae Sai and Chiang Saen.

By Air Airlines have numerous daily flights servicing the Bangkok-Chiang Mai route and the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai route.

By Boat The capital may also be reached from Tha Thon in Chiang Mai province by a scenic 4-6 hour (depending on climatic conditions, such as rain, and other factors such as high waters and fast currents) long-tail boat ride along the Mae Kok River.