How do you get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?

Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai at a glance

Last checked 27 October 2026. Fares are approximate; dollar figures convert at our committed exchange-rate snapshot.

Planning more legs? Use the route finder.

Greenbus: the default option

Greenbus (Green Bus Thailand) holds the main licence on the Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai road and runs the bulk of the services. Third-party guides checked in mid-2026 count around a dozen departures a day, roughly from 07:00 to 18:00, with the journey taking about 3 to 4 hours over roughly 180 to 190 km of Highway 118. The road climbs through the hills between the two provinces, so the ride is curvier than the distance suggests, but nothing like the road to Pai.

Greenbus sells several classes on the same route, and the class decides both the fare and the comfort:

• Standard and Express (A and X class): air-conditioned coaches with ordinary seats. Fares listed by booking sites in 2026 sit at roughly ฿200 to ฿300 (≈ $5.9–8.9).

• VIP (V class): fewer, wider seats in a 2+1 layout, a snack and water. Expect roughly ฿100 (≈ $3.0) more than Express, typically around ฿350 to ฿400 (≈ $10.4–11.8).

Fares listed on aggregators vary with date and fees, so treat these as a guide and confirm on Greenbus itself. The VIP upgrade is worth it for the extra legroom if you are tall; on a 3-hour daytime ride the cheaper class is perfectly fine.

Where the bus leaves from and arrives

In Chiang Mai, Greenbus departs from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 (Arcade), on the northeast side of the city about 3 km from the Old City moat. Terminals 2 and 3 sit side by side; Greenbus has its own counters in Terminal 3. A Grab or a red songthaew from the Old City takes 15 to 20 minutes, longer at rush hour. Our where to stay in Chiang Mai guide covers which areas are closest.

In Chiang Rai there are two bus stations. Bus Terminal 1 is in the centre next to the night bazaar, within walking distance of many guesthouses. Bus Terminal 2 is the newer, larger station on the southern edge of town, a short Grab or songthaew ride from the centre. Long-distance buses from Chiang Mai stop at Terminal 2 and many continue to Terminal 1, but riders report the end point varies by service, so check what your ticket names and stay on to Terminal 1 if it is listed.

Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple) lies just south of Chiang Rai, off the same highway the bus uses. Do not count on the bus stopping there. The reliable plan is to arrive, drop your bags and visit it on a separate half day by local bus from Terminal 1 or by Grab.

How to book, and how far ahead

You can buy Greenbus tickets on the operator's own website, through aggregators such as 12Go or Baolau, or at the Greenbus counters in Terminal 3. Aggregators add a booking fee, but they take foreign cards and show seat maps in English.

• Normal weeks: booking a day ahead, or even at the counter on the morning, usually works for Express seats.

• Peak dates: around Christmas and New Year, Songkran in April and long Thai holiday weekends, the VIP and midday buses sell out. Book several days ahead. See our Songkran guide for the 2027 dates.

• Changes: aggregators state that Greenbus tickets are non-refundable and cannot be changed once issued, so pick your time carefully.

Bring your passport: the name on the ticket should match it, and staff may check it at boarding.

Private car, minivan tours and driving

A private car with driver takes about 3 hours and lets you stop on the way, most usefully at the Wat Rong Khun White Temple on arrival or the hot springs at Mae Khachan roughly halfway. Quotes vary widely by vehicle and operator, so get a written price from your hotel or a reputable transfer company and compare it with a Grab estimate for the same trip.

Day tours from Chiang Mai to the White Temple, the Blue Temple and the Golden Triangle are sold everywhere, but they mean 7 to 8 hours in a van for a few hours on the ground. Chiang Rai deserves at least 2 nights; our how many days in Chiang Rai guide explains how to split them.

Driving yourself is straightforward on Highway 118: it is a good dual carriageway for most of the way, with the hill section in the middle. Thailand drives on the left, and you need an International Driving Permit alongside your home licence.

Flying: no direct route

There has been no direct scheduled flight between Chiang Mai (CNX) and Chiang Rai's Mae Fah Luang airport (CEI) in 2026. Flight search sites show only itineraries connecting through Bangkok, which take most of a day and cost far more than the bus. If you are coming from Bangkok, fly straight to Chiang Rai instead and do the trip in the opposite direction, ending in Chiang Mai.

For the leg from Bangkok to the north by rail, our Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train guide compares the classes.

Tips for the ride and our route

• Sit on the left heading north for more of the hill views on the middle stretch.

• Buses make a short rest stop on longer services; take water and a jacket, because coach air-conditioning in Thailand runs cold.

• Large backpacks go in the hold. Keep valuables with you.

• In the burning season (roughly February to April) haze can hang over both cities; our Chiang Mai burning season guide explains when it peaks.

Our route ran Lampang (3 days), then Chiang Mai from 22 to 28 December 2022, then Chiang Rai from 28 December to 4 January 2023, and on to Mae Hong Son for 3 days. If you are heading west after Chiang Rai as we did, our Chiang Mai to Pai and Mae Hong Son guide covers the mountain loop. Our Chiang Mai guide and Chiang Rai guide cover what to see at each end, and the 2-week Thailand itinerary shows where this leg fits.

Frequently asked questions