1. Minivan – Pai to Chiang Mai
2. Taxi/Car – Pai to Chiang Mai
3. FAQ + Travel Tips + Info
🎫 Book a Tour in Chiang Mai
🎫 Book Ticket to Chiang Mai
From Pai to Chiang Mai you can get by minivan / minibus, taxi, motorbike.
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- Travel distance from Pai to Chiang Mai in Thailand is about 130 km by road (the fastest route). There are 3 ways how you can get to Chiang Mai from Pai in northern Thailand – travel by minivan / minibus, private car/taxi or motorbike. The most popular and cheap option of transfer to Chiang Mai is to take a minibus, minivan. Travel by minibus from Pai to Chiang Mai takes about 3.5-4 hours and it tickets cost about $7-10/pp. You can arrive by this minibus from the city center of Pai (Wiang Tai) and you will arrive to Chiang Mai Arcade 2. Another option how you can reach Chiang Mai from Pai is to book your private car/taxi. It is the most comfortable way of transport.
- Travel by private car from Pai to Chiang Mai takes about 3-4.5 hours and it costs about $120-200 (car). You can use and book your private taxi to Chiang Mai with Jed Yord or Glassflower transport companies. You can arrive by taxi or private car to Chiang Mai town, Chiang Mai Airport or there is a hotel transfer. There is no railway from Pai to Chiang Mai and there are no flights, travel by train and plane is not possible. From Chiang Mai you can travel to Chiang Rai by tourist bus or private car or you can go back by train to Bangkok.
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- Chiang Mai in northern Thailand is a popular tourist destination by foreign tourists from all the world. If you are not a lover of beach resorts and prefer to explore, then the city of Chiang Mai may be the right destination for you when visiting Thailand. It is located in the northern part of Thailand in the province of the same name. Chiang Mai is located about 700 kilometers from the Thai capital Bangkok. Before you arrive to Chiang Mai, read carefully this article: Weather in Chiang Mai. Not far from Chiang Mai is the aforementioned Doi Suthep National Park. It is named after 1,676 meters high Doi Suthep Mountain.
- Within the national park you will find the highest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon (2,565 m above sea level). The best way how to explore Chiang Mai province is to rent a motorbike and travel on your own, if you can and your driving skills are good. Read the instructions how you can reach Chiang Mai from Pai in Thailand below in this article. You can also easily book tickets or private taxi to Chiang Mai online.
How do you get from Pai to Chiang Mai?
1. MINIVAN / MINIBUS from Pai to Chiang Mai
The most used and cheapest way to transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai is by minivan or minibus. A minivan and a minibus are actually smaller buses for a limited number of passengers. These vehicles are usually a bit faster and also often stop at other places or stops during the journey. This transportation option to Chiang Mai in this region of Thailand is offered by Prem Pracha and AYA Service, which operate modern and comfortable smaller minivans.
Minivans depart from Pai (Wiang Tai) and AYA Service Pai and arrive at Chiang Mai Arcade 2, Chiang Mai Thapee, Chiang Mai International Airport, Chiang Mai Train Station and or other locations. You will see all this information about departure points in Pai and arrival points in Chiang Mai when you search for tickets online, so read everything carefully.
Transportation by minivan or minibus to Chiang Mai from Pai takes about 3.5-4 hours, the indicated travel time may vary depending on where exactly you are going, and there may also be delays during the trip. Sometimes it can also happen that the exact departure times may not be respected. A minivan / minibus transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai costs between $7-10/pp, so it is the cheapest option for transportation between these places.
Since there is no railway here, most ordinary solo travelers use this option of transport. However, ticket prices for these minivans may change or vary slightly during the year or seasons. You can always see current prices and timetables when searching for tickets online. Minivan and minibus tickets from Pai to Chiang Mai are easy to find and buy online in advance.
It is advisable to arrive at the departure point in Pai at least 30-60 minutes before the departure of the minivan. When booking your ticket, also read all transfer information and instructions and follow the instructions of the transport companies. A modern minibus or minivan is usually a very advantageous option even for ordinary low-cost travelers who have a more limited budget for their travel.
2. PRIVATE TAXI / CAR from Pai to Chiang Mai
The most convenient, but at the same time, the most expensive transfer option from Pai to Chiang Mai for you will be private transportation by modern car/taxi with a driver. The advantage of this transport option is that you can choose your departure point in Pai and your arrival point in Chiang Mai, so you can also save your time. You can, for example, use a direct transfer from the hotel to another hotel in Chiang Mai or even to the airport in Chiang Mai.
Several private companies such as Jed Yord, Glassflower, Firstplan Transport Services, Lanna Expert Driver, Bangkok Taxi24, Smart En Plus, GO2Trip, Freedom Tour Taxi Service offer this option of transportation between these cities. Most of these companies operate modern smaller classic cars, SUVs or even minivans and multi-passenger minibuses for the transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai.
These minivans are suitable for group travel and you can then split the fare between individual passengers, which can be advantageous in certain cases. Transportation by private car/taxi from Pai to Chiang Mai takes about 3-4 hours, but the stated travel time may vary depending on which route you choose.
BOOK TAXI / CAR to Chiang Mai ➜
Private car/taxi transportation to Chiang Mai is the most expensive transfer option and costs between $120-200/car, but these prices vary depending on the type of car you choose. If a smaller car will be enough for you, you will pay less than in the case of a larger SUV or minivan, which is suitable for transporting more people at once.
Prices may also vary according to the number of persons transported in the vehicle / car or according to other specific travel conditions. You can easily search, view and book your private car/taxi with a driver from Pai to Chiang Mai in Thailand online well in advance.
When searching, you will see all offers from different companies, so you can easily compare everything and choose a suitable vehicle. Also follow all instructions given by the taxi company to avoid possible misunderstandings, companies may have different transfer conditions.
❓ FAQ + Tips – Travel route from Pai to Chiang Mai:
1. How and where to book tickets or taxi/car from Pai to Chiang Mai?
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- You can book tickets and private transport from Pai to Chiang Mai online on 12go.asia ➜.
- You can also search and book another travel routes, e.g. Pai to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai to Bangkok…
2. What is the travel time from Pai to Chiang Mai?
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- Transfer by tourist minivan/minibus from Pai to Chiang Mai takes about 3.5-4 hours.
- Transfer by private taxi/minivan, car from Pai to Chiang Mai takes about 3-4.5 hours.
- Transfer on motorbike from Pai to Chiang Mai takes about 5 hours (according to your stops, driving speed).
3. What is the travel distance from Pai to Chiang Mai?
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- Travel distance from Pai to Chiang Mai is about 130 km by road (the fastest travel route).
4. How much does it cost to get from Pai to Chiang Mai?
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- Transport by minivan/minibus from Pai to Chiang Mai costs about $6-8/pp.
- Transport by private taxi/minivan or car from Pai to Chiang Mai costs about $120-200 (vehicle).
5. What private transfers to Chiang Mai are available?
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- There are private taxi companies to Chiang Mai: Jed Yord, Glassflower, Firstplan Transport Services, Lanna Expert Driver, Bangkok Taxi24, Smart En Plus, GO2Trip, Freedom Tour Taxi Service, these taxi companies offer modern vehicles and cars or luxury SUV. Private car is the most comfortable option of transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai.
6. Is there a train to Chiang Mai from Pai?
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- No, there is no railway from Pai to Chiang Mai, travel by train is not possible between these cities.
7. Is there a direct flight from Pai to Chiang Mai?
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- No, it is not possible to travel by plane, there are no flights from Pai to Chiang Mai.
8. What is the cheapest way of transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai?
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- The cheapest option of transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai is to travel by minivan / minibus, tickets start at $6/person.
9. How to get from Chiang Mai to Nan or Phayao?
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- From Chiang Mai to Nan or Phayao you can travel by bus, minivan, private car or motorbike. Travel time by bus from Chiang Mai to Nan is about 7 hours and from Chiang Mai to Phayao it is about 3.5 hours. These places are not so visited by foreign tourists.
10. Where you can also go from Pai?
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- If you are alredy in Pai you can also travel to Mae Hong Son town. Mae Hong Son is about 100 km from Pai town and you can travel by minivan, minibus, private car or motorbike. There is no railway from Pai to Mae Hong Son.
11. Where to stay in Chiang Mai, what are the possibilities?
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- There are various modern and cheap hotels in Chiang Mai, private luxury hotels + resorts, cheap guesthouses for tourists or cheap hostels for backpackers and also bungalows or cottages around the city.
🚍 Bus / Minivan Schedule – Timetable – Pai to Chiang Mai:
Bus Schedule - Pai to Chiang Mai | Departs in Pai | Arrival in Chiang Mai |
|---|---|---|
Prem Pracha | 07:00 | 10:55 |
Prem Pracha | 09:00 | 12:55 |
Prem Pracha | 10:00 | 13:55 |
Prem Pracha | 11:00 | 14:55 |
Prem Pracha | 12:00 | 15:55 |
Prem Pracha | 13:00 | 16:55 |
Prem Pracha | 16:00 | 19:55 |
Prem Pracha | 17:00 | 20:55 |
AYA Service | 07:00 | 10:40 |
AYA Service | 08:30 | 12:10 |
AYA Service | 09:30 | 13:10 |
AYA Service | 10:30 | 14:10 |
AYA Service | 13:30 | 17:10 |
AYA Service | 14:30 | 18:10 |
AYA Service | 15:30 | 19:10 |
🚕 Taxi Schedule / Timetable – Pai to Chiang Mai + Prices:
Taxi Schedule - Pai to Chiang Mai | Travel time | Prices (Car) |
|---|---|---|
Glassflower | 04:30 | $137.00 |
Jed Yord | 03:50 | $157.00 |
Firstplan Transport | 04:00 | $135.00 |
Lanna Expert Driver | 03:00 | $129.00 |
Bangkok Taxi24 | 04:00 | $121.00 |
Smart En Plus | 04:00 | $131.00 |
Go2Trip | 03:00 | $121.00 |
Freedom Tour | 03:00 | $123.00 |
BOOK your HOTEL in Chiang Mai ➜
🎫 Book bus tickets or taxi from Pai to Chiang Mai + Schedule:
(You can also book another tickets, např. Pai to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai to Bangkok…)