Chiang Rai Transport Travel Guide  Jump to: Chiang Rai Transport Galleries
Chiang Rai is easily accessible both by air and overland from both Chiang Mai or Bangkok. We also recommend the scenic river tour by boat along the Mae Kok River. [more]
Airports
The Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) lies just 8 kilometres from the centre of Chiang Rai. On Phaholyotin Road, it acommodates over 500,000 passengers each year. Alternatively, one could fly into the Suvarnabhumi airport in Racha Thewa in the Samut Prakan province - about 30 kilometres from Bangkok. You can then fly to Chiang Rai from the Suvarnabhumi airport. The Chiang Rai airport also takes flights to and from Chiang Mai and Phuket.
At the counter on the first floor of the arrival hall in the Chiang Rai airport, you will discover the car rental and taxi service area. Hotel limousines also make themselves available for hotel guests - check when you make your booking. Public tricycles and pick up trucks have been forbidden to pick up passengers from the airport, and you must exist the terminal area to find these transport options.
Getting There By Rail
A train station does not exist in Chiang Rai. The nearest station to Chiang Rai exists in Chiang Mai, and you will therefore need to find onwards transport from that train station. This could be via plane, or a three hour bus ride. Alternatively, you could take the train to Lampang (about nine hours from Bangkok) and then a bus to Chiang Rai.
Getting There By Road
Driving to Chiang Rai from Bangkok might take a couple of hours - it's a 785 kilometre trip along Highway No 1 (Phahonyothin Road) and then on to Highway 32. Turn onto to Route No 11, turn left onto Highway No 103, and then right on to Highway 1. Along the way you should pass Ayutthaya, Phrae, Ngao, and then on to Phayao and Chiang Rai.
Getting There By Bus
From Chiang Mai, you may take a Greenbus deluxe trip that will take around three hours or so.
From Bangkok, buses depart from the Northern Bus Terminal on Kamphaeng Phet 2 at regular intervals. You may choose between air conditioned buses or non air conditioned, and the fare will alter accordingly. The trip will take between nine and eleven hours. If you can sleep on a bus, then take the trip overnight to make the most of your next morning in Chiang Rai.
Getting There By Boat
From Chiang Mai, you may also take a boat from Tha Thon along the Mae Kok River. Depending upon the conditions like rain, waters, and currents, your long tail boat should deposit you in Chiang Rai within a four to six hour picturesque journey.
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