Chiang Mai, Thailand

Getting around Chiang Mai

How to travel around Chiang Mai — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Songthaew (red trucks)

Shared red pickups running loosely fixed routes; flag one, state your destination, pay at the end.

Cost: 30–50 THB in town

Watch outStating a destination alone can turn it into a private charter. Ask 'song thaew?' to confirm it is shared.

2. Rented scooter

How most visitors get around, and the source of most trouble.

Cost: 200–350 THB per day

Watch outPassports held as deposit, then damage claimed at return. Pay a cash deposit and photograph the bike first.

3. Grab and Bolt

Both operate, with the fare fixed before pickup.

4. Bicycle in the Old City

Flat, compact and slow-moving inside the moat — the pleasantest way to see the temples.

Cost: 50–100 THB per day

5. Night train to Bangkok

Sleepers on the northern line, thirteen hours, and considerably more comfortable than the bus.

Tip: Book second-class air-conditioned sleeper; lower berths have windows.

Booking apps in Thailand

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Grab

The dominant ride-hailing app across Southeast Asia, covering cars, motorbike taxis, food and parcels.

Coverage: Nationwide in Thailand, strongest in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Bolt

European ride-hailing operator, usually priced below Grab where it operates.

Coverage: Bangkok and a handful of larger cities; patchy elsewhere.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

InDrive

Fare-negotiation model where you propose a price and drivers accept or counter.

Coverage: Growing in Bangkok and larger provincial cities.
Why it helps: The price is agreed in-app before pickup, so there is no roadside negotiation to lose.

Bangkok MRT

Official metro app with route planning and QR ticketing for the underground network.

Coverage: Bangkok only.

12Go

Books trains, buses and ferries across Thailand and the wider region, including island routes.

Coverage: Nationwide, plus cross-border services.
Why it helps: Avoids street agents selling tickets for services that are overbooked, downgraded, or do not run.