Trains from Chiang Rai to Bangkok

A new rail route extending to Chiang Rai is currently under construction. Until the new railway line opens passengers wanting to travel by train from Chiang Rai to Bangkok first need to take a connecting bus service to Chiang Mai.

Connecting Bus: Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai

The main bus operator on the Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai route is GreenBus which offers a choice of both Express and VIP bus services.

• Buy bus tickets for travel from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai.

Train: Chiang Mai to Bangkok

There are 5 trains a day from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

• Buy train tickets from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

Location of Chiang Rai Bus Station

GreenBus services from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai depart from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1.

Location of Chiang Mai Bus Station

GreenBus services from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai terminate at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3.

Location of Bangkok Train Station

The final stop for trains from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.

About Train Travel to Bangkok

By train, and connecting bus service, the journey from Chiang Rai to Bangkok takes 17 to 20 hours depending upon which train and connecting bus service you take.

It’s not possible to reach Chiang Mai by public bus from Chiang Rai in time to board either of the 2 daytime services from Chiang Mai to Bangkok (Train #102 and Train #8). The other 3 train services travel overnight. For this reason passengers travelling to Bangkok are advised to book a sleeper berth. Sleeper berths on trains in Thailand are relatively inexpensive, particularly 2nd Class sleeper berths, and they make travelling by train a lot more comfortable than travelling overnight in a bus.

Bus Services from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai

The journey by train from Chiang Rai to Bangkok commences with a connecting bus service from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2. Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 is located in the centre of Chiang Rai City close to a popular night market (Chiang Rai Night Bazaar) and within easy walking distance of the city’s main cluster of tourist hotels.

There are 2 types of bus service available, VIP and Express. Passengers on VIP services have more leg room because the vehicles contain fewer seats than Express services. VIP services are also slightly faster.

• Journey times from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai
  • VIP service: 3 hours 20 minutes
  • Express service: 3 hours 45 minutes

The demand for bus services from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai is fairly high during the tourist season so advanced booking is recommended, particularly if you have to arrive in Chiang Mai by a specific time in order to board a connecting train service.

Local transport from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 to Chiang Mai Railway Station

Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 is located 2.2 km walking distance to the north of Chiang Mai Railway Station. Some travellers will be able to walk from the bus station to the train station. Most passengers, however, choose to take a tuk-tuk or a shared taxi from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 to Chiang Mai Railway Station.

Expect to pay up to 100 THB per person for the journey in a shared taxi, and from 100 to 200 THB for the hire of a tuk-tuk which can accommodate up to 3 passengers and their luggage. Prices for tuk-tuks are not fixed and need to be agreed with the driver you commence your journey.

Trains travel from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

By train the journey from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is scheduled to take from just over 10 hours to just under 14 hours depending upon which train you take. Some trains are considerably faster than others because they stop at fewer stations along the way:

• The fastest train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is Train #8, which departs from Chiang Mai at 07:30 and is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok 10 hours 10 minutes later at 17:40.
• The slowest train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is Train #52, which departs from Chiang Mai at 15:30 and is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok 13 hours 40 minutes later at 05:10.

The seat types available on train services from Chiang Mai to Bangkok also vary according to which train you take. The premium service on this route is Train #10 which uses more modern passenger carriages.

• Guide to Seat Types on Trains from Chiang Mai to Bangkok:

Local Transport in Bangkok

The final stop for train services from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal is Bangkok’s newly constructed main train terminus. Passengers can also alight at Don Mueang Airport Railway Station, which is the stop before Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.

The main form of public transport from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal is via Bangkok’s MRT network. The MRT is an underground suburban train network which covers large parts of the city centre, and connects with several of Bangkok’s other major public transport networks, including as the BTS, Airport Link, and Chao Phraya Express Boat service. From Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal it’s possible to reach almost every part of Bangkok by public transport either directly, or indirectly by initially travelling on the MRT and then switching to another transport network.

We strongly encourage train passengers to use MRT network for onward travel from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. Most visitors will find that using the MRT network is cheaper than taking a taxi, and often much faster than attempting to travel on roads which are often heavily congested, particularly during peak morning and late afternoon periods when local residents are commuting to and from work.

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