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How to Get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is about 190 km northeast of Chiang Mai on Route 118, a good road through the hills that takes three to three and a half hours without stopping. Unusually for Thailand, the bus on this route is genuinely excellent, so the honest answer to "how should I travel" depends more on your group size and whether you want to stop than on comfort.

Private taxi · Chiang Mai → Chiang RaiFixed fare per car, tolls included. Pay the driver at the end. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup; after that 25–100% of the fare.

Sedan: ฿2,500
SUV: ฿3,000
Van: ฿3,500

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The journey at a glance

From	Chiang Mai
To	Chiang Rai
Distance	≈ 190 km
Journey time	3 – 3.5 hours
Private taxi fare	Sedan ฿2,500 · SUV ฿3,000 · Van ฿3,500 — per car, tolls included
Payment	Cash in Thai baht to the driver at the end. Nothing is charged when you book.
Cancellation	Free up to 24 hours before pickup; after that 25% (less than 24 h), 35% (less than 12 h) or 50% (less than 2 h) of the fare, and 100% for a no-show, also when you pay the driver in cash.

Every option compared

Option	Typical cost	Total time	Departures	Door to door	Booking
Private taxi	฿2,500 per vehicle	3 – 3.5 h	Any time you choose	Hotel to hotel	Same day usually fine
Green Bus (VIP / A-class)	≈฿170 – 290 per person	3 – 4 h	Frequent, from early morning	Arcade terminal to Terminal 2	Book ahead in high season
Minivan	≈฿250 per person	3 – 3.5 h	When full	Terminal to terminal	Buy at the terminal
Flight via Bangkok	฿2,500+ per person	5 h+ door to door	No practical direct service	No	Book well ahead

Bus, minivan, train and ferry fares are approximate and were last checked in September 2026. They change without notice. Our own taxi fares are live from our booking system.

Which option actually suits you

Travelling alone or as a couple with light bags, take the Green Bus. It is comfortable, frequent, costs a fraction of a car, and the A-class and VIP coaches are better than most travellers expect. There is no reason to pay for a private vehicle just to sit in it.

A car earns its keep in three situations. First, group size: at three or four people the fixed vehicle fare split between you lands close to the per-person bus fare, and you have the boot to yourselves. Second, stops — see below. Third, and most often overlooked, the ends of the journey: the bus runs terminal to terminal, and Chiang Mai Arcade and Chiang Rai Terminal 2 are both well outside their town centres, so you are paying for two songthaews and carrying luggage twice.

Flying is not a real option on this route. There is no useful direct service, so routings go south to Bangkok and back north again, which costs more and takes longer door to door than driving.

Stops worth making on the way

This is the main practical reason people book a car rather than the bus. Route 118 passes within a short detour of several of the north’s best-known sites, and a private vehicle lets you string them together instead of choosing one as a separate day trip from Chiang Rai.

The usual additions are Wat Rong Khun — the White Temple — which sits just south of Chiang Rai and is the single most requested stop on this route; Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple, on the north side of town; and Baan Dam, the Black House. The Mae Kachan hot springs make a natural halfway break, and the Khun Korn waterfall is a short detour for anyone wanting to stretch their legs.

Tell us which stops you want when you book and we will allow for them. One or two short stops on the way are normal and included; a full sightseeing day is better booked as a day charter.

Practical tips

The Green Bus leaves from Chiang Mai Arcade bus station, not the old city. Factor in a songthaew and 20–30 minutes to reach it.
Route 118 is winding in places. If anyone in your group gets motion sick, the front seat of a car is a very different experience from the middle of a minivan.
In high season the good Green Bus classes sell out. A private car can still be arranged the same day when the bus cannot.
The White Temple closes in the late afternoon. If you want to stop there on the way, leave Chiang Mai in the morning.
Chiang Rai Terminal 2 is several kilometres from the centre. If your hotel is in town, add that transfer to any bus comparison.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?

Three to three and a half hours by road, covering about 190 km on Route 118. The Green Bus takes three to four hours depending on class and stops, plus the time to reach the terminals at each end.

What is the cheapest way from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?

The Green Bus, at roughly ฿170 to ฿290 per person depending on class. It is frequent, comfortable and the right choice for one or two people travelling light. A private taxi costs ฿2,500 for the whole vehicle, which for three or four people is close to the same total.

Can I stop at the White Temple on the way to Chiang Rai?

Yes, with a private car. Wat Rong Khun is just south of Chiang Rai and sits almost directly on the route, so it adds very little driving. Tell us when you book and the driver will allow time for it. The bus cannot stop, so by bus the White Temple becomes a separate trip from Chiang Rai.

Is there a direct flight from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?

Not usefully. There is no reliable direct commercial service, so flights route via Bangkok — which means flying south for an hour to come back north, and a longer door-to-door journey than simply driving. Road transport is the practical choice on this route.

Can I book a Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai taxi for tomorrow?

Yes. Most bookings on this route are made the day before travel, and same-day requests are usually fine. Nothing is charged when you book — you pay the driver in Thai Baht on arrival.

Is the taxi price per person or per car?

Per vehicle. ฿2,500 covers a sedan with up to three passengers and two large bags, ฿3,000 an SUV with five, and ฿3,500 a van with seven. Tolls and fuel are included.