In this article, we will show you the best ways to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand as well as the costs for each option.
Where Chiang Rai Is Located in Relation to Chiang Mai
Chiang Rai is located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Chiang Mai near the borders of Laos and Myanmar (formerly Burma). Being so close to Chiang Mai, there are no flights to Chiang Rai other than from Bangkok.
There are a few different options to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai by road and all of them involve taking Highway 118 and Highway 1.
8-Day Northern Thailand Discovery:
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My husband and I are planning a 3 week…
Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. More
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Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
Rylan Coache, Feb 2024
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Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
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Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
Tricia, Feb 2024
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Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
Ashley White, Feb 2024
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Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
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Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
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What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
Rachel, Feb 2024
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Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
Sandy, Jan 2024
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Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
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Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024
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Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
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Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024
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Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024
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Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
Taylor Jones, Jan 2024
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Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
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We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
Karen Rocque, Dec 2023
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Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023
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With a Private Driver (4,000–6,000 Baht / $130–195)
By far the most convenient and quickest way to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai is with a private driver. Our driver will pick you up at your hotel, meaning you don't have to make your own way to the bus stop in a taxi.
There is also no waiting around. Buses in Thailand often leave later than scheduled and can take longer than advertised to reach your destination due to the fact they stop to pick up passengers along the way.
Another benefit to having your own driver is that you can stop anytime you want. Whether you need a toilet break or you want to check out some of the attractions, having a Thai/English-speaking guide on hand makes everything a lot easier.
Benefits of hiring a private driver:
- It's much quicker and more comfortable than taking the bus.
- You will be picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai and dropped off at your hotel in Chiang Rai so there is no wasted time.
- You can stop to eat and drink or use the bathroom whenever you like.
- Driving can be quite stressful if you are not used to the Thai roads. Having a driver means you can sit back, relax, and take in your surroundings.
Hire Your Own Car (1,000–3,500 Baht / $33–115 a Day)
Hiring your own car definitely has its advantages. Like having your own driver, it means that you're not wasting time waiting for buses. You can do things on your own schedule.
Having your own vehicle also gives you the freedom to explore Chiang Rai and the surrounding areas. For instance, you can take a detour to the coffee and tea plantations that are quite a distance from the city center.
We would only recommend hiring a car if you are 100 percent comfortable driving in a foreign country. The rules on the roads in Thailand can be quite different to those in the West and this can take some getting used to.
Also, once you get to Chiang Rai, the traffic in the city center can be terrible during rush hour. If you think beeping horns and overtaking motorcycles might stress you out, maybe stick with a private driver.
Thailand car hire essentials:
- Make sure to check the car thoroughly for dents and scratches before leaving the hire shop.
- Don't forget, in Thailand, you will need an international driver's permit to drive legally. You risk being fined if you drive without one.
- Check the insurance documents at the hire shop to make sure you are fully covered.
- Always return the car with a full tank of petrol. Car hire shops have notoriously high rates for refilling.
6-Day Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Highlights Tour:
By Bus (140–280 Baht / $4.50–9)
The Green Bus service runs from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 to Chiang Rai from 06:15 to 17:45 every day. The buses are air-conditioned and vary in quality depending on which class of ticket you purchase.
For example, the most expensive 'V-Class' buses do not stop to pick up passengers along the way, which can save quite a bit of time compared to the cheaper buses.
The trip between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai takes between 3 and 5 hours. Taking a bus is definitely not a luxurious form of travel but there is a toilet on board and it's cheap and comfortable enough when compared with other buses and minivans in Thailand. It's also the cheapest option on the list.
To get to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3, your best option is to get a taxi or a tuk tuk. From the center of town, this should cost between 150 and 200 baht ($4.85–6.50).
Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai bus essentials:
- Frequency: The Green Bus service departs every 30–45 minutes from 06:15 to 17:45.
- Time: The bus trip to the first stop in Chiang Rai will usually take about 4 hours.
- Ticket counter: Order online from the Green Bus website or just turn up and buy a ticket at the bus station.
- Fares:V-Class is 280 baht, X-Class is 180 baht, A-Class is 140 baht.
- Please note: V-Class cars will not stop for passengers on the way.
One to Avoid — Going by Shared Public Minibus (300 Baht / $9.80)
While hiring a private minivan with one of our trusted partners is a great idea for large groups, a shared, public minivan is definitely not!
The shared minivan option only has one benefit over the public bus and that's the hotel collection. Although the journey by minivan tends to be quicker than a bus journey in Thailand, this is generally due to the fact that the drivers often have no thought for road safety.
Apart from going dangerously fast, minivans are very uncomfortable compared with a normal bus. Unless you book two seats, which will double the price, you will be cramped in a full vehicle with very little room to move.
If you are traveling with a large group, we can provide private minivan hire with one of our trusted transport partners. This ensures you have a fully qualified driver and guide for a safe journey to Chiang Rai.
Visit Thailand with Us
Visiting Chiang Rai with a private driver can actually work out much cheaper if it's included in one of our personalized tours of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand. Why not let one of our professional tour operators help put together your dream itinerary for Chiang Rai today? Check our tours below for more information.
- 13-Day Essence of Thailand Tour
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