Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: bus, car or day tour?

Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: the options compared

Three ways to go, depending on your budget and what you want to see on the way.

The Greenbus is the benchmark on this route: recent coaches, assigned seats, a toilet on board and regular departures. A car with driver costs more, but turns the journey into a day of sightseeing. An organised day tour only makes sense if you really cannot spend a night in Chiang Rai.

The Greenbus from Arcade station

About ten departures a day, from 7 am to 6 pm.

All buses to Chiang Rai leave from Arcade bus station, Terminal 3, about 3 km north-east of the old city. A red songthaew or a Grab gets you there in 15 minutes. The Greenbus company runs about ten departures a day, from 7 am to 6 pm.

• Book online or at the Greenbus counter in the station, with your passport.
• Arrive 20 minutes before departure to check in.
• Bring a jacket: the air-con is strong.

Arriving in Chiang Rai

Two bus stations: get off at the right one.

Chiang Rai has two bus stations. The bus first stops at Terminal 2 on the edge of town, then ends at Terminal 1 right in the centre, next to the night bazaar and a few minutes’ walk from the Clock Tower. If your hotel is central, stay on board until Terminal 1.

Chiang Rai is a small city you can explore on foot or by tuk-tuk. For temples on the outskirts, Grab works well, and agencies offer half-day tours. All our tips are on the Chiang Rai page.

By car with driver

The journey becomes a sightseeing day.

A car with driver links Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in 3 hours of driving, for 2,500 to 3,500 THB per car. For two people the price per head stays reasonable, and you leave from your hotel when you like.

The day tour from Chiang Mai

Handy if time is short, exhausting if you can avoid it.

Chiang Mai agencies sell day tours: departure around 7 am, White Temple, Blue Temple, Black House, sometimes the Golden Triangle, back around 7 or 8 pm. You see the main sights, but spend nearly eight hours in a minivan.

• Choosing the tour when you have two spare days: sleep there instead.
• Booking the most packed itinerary: four sites in one day is mostly road time.
• Forgetting modest clothing: shoulders and knees covered in temples.

More ideas for outings from the city in our Chiang Mai day trips guide.

How long to stay in Chiang Rai

Two or three nights for the city and its surroundings.

Two nights are enough for the three big temples, the night bazaar and a day to the Golden Triangle. A third night adds the tea plantations of Doi Mae Salong or a day at the border. To pick an area, see where to stay in Chiang Rai.

• The White Temple early in the morning, before the tour coaches.
• The Blue Temple and Black House in the afternoon, closer to the centre.
• The night bazaar and Clock Tower in the evening, for the light show.

When to travel

Year-round, with two caveats.

The best time is November to February: clear skies, cool nights, green mountains. From February to April, burning season often covers the north in smoke and air quality can be poor; sensitive travellers should check the index before going. From June to October, afternoon rain sometimes slows the mountain road. Details in the Chiang Rai weather guide.

How to get back to Chiang Mai

The same buses, the other way.

Greenbus coaches to Chiang Mai leave Chiang Rai’s Terminal 1 all day, with the same classes and prices. Book your return on arrival if you travel on a Sunday or a public holiday.

Where next?

Chiang Rai opens up the far north.

• For the Golden Triangle, Mae Salong and nearby temples: our Chiang Rai day trips.
• To continue into Laos via the Chiang Khong border: our Thailand border crossings guide.
• For a mountain stop to the west: our Chiang Mai to Pai guide.

To plan the whole northern loop, our itinerary planner works out the travel times between each stop.