How to get fromChiang Rai to Pai

What to expect when visiting Pai

Pai is a backpacker’s paradise in the North of Thailand. It boasts a laidback hippie vibe that makes you want to slow down and explore at a relaxed pace. If you ride a motorbike, you’ll have a great time driving through its winding roads backdropped by lush greens everywhere you look.

For a small town, there are a lot of exciting things you can do in Pai. You can enjoy spectacular views from Pai Canyon and the White Buddha, explore the bamboo Boon Ko Ku So Bridge, trek to hot springs and waterfalls, and go white water rafting or river tubing. When the sun sets, Pai’s quiet streets come alive with music, dance, and a vibrant night market.

3 ways to get from Chiang Rai to Pai

The 3 ways to travel the distance of 300 kilometers (186 miles) from Chiang Rai to Pai are by: bus + minivan (Combined tickets)* (8 hours 50 minutes), private transport (5 hours 15 minutes) and bus + minivan (Separate tickets) (7 hours 20 minutes to 10 hours 30 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 5 hours 15 minutes to 10 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by private transport. The lowest priced tickets start from €14.60 for the bus + minivan (separate tickets).

You can book separate minivan and bus tickets for the Chiang Rai to Pai route. You will also have to make a stop at Chiang Mai. The only difference is that you will have to take care of your next transfer upon arrival and time it accordingly so that you don’t miss your connecting bus.

Booking separate tickets from Chiang Rai to Pai allows a later departure and is even slightly cheaper than the combined trip. The travel duration for this option is 7 hours 20 minutes to 10 hours 30 minutes excluding the transfer time.

There are several trips per day so make sure you align your schedules. We have provided a step-by-step guide below for the separate booking.

Green Bus is one of the most popular bus companies on the Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai route. This company offers several trips from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai daily, with several departures from 08:30 to 16:00.

We recommend booking a morning bus for the trip to Chiang Mai, so you can continue the journey in the afternoon from Chiang Mai to Pai. The bus fares start at €7.70 and the journey takes about 3h 20m - 6h 35m.

Green Bus departs from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, located in the city centre just next to the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar. Finally, the bus arrives at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3. From the terminal, you can easily reach the Old City by taxi in 5 minutes.

Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1

Express

Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3

07:30

3h 45m

11:15

08:30

3h 45m

12:15

09:30

6h 35m

16:05

12:00

3h 45m

15:45

13:30

3h 45m

17:15

15:00

3h 45m

18:45

16:00

3h 45m

19:45

18:30

3h 45m

22:15

Green Bus

€7.70

Compare prices

• 24/7 customer support

€7.70

07:30

3h 45m

11:15

08:30

3h 45m

12:15

12:00

3h 45m

15:45

13:30

3h 45m

17:15

15:00

3h 45m

18:45

16:00

3h 45m

19:45

18:30

3h 45m

22:15

Check on BookAway

• 24/7 customer support

€11.20

09:30

6h 35m

16:05

Check on BookAway

Prempracha and Aya Service are the two well-known companies that operate on this route. There are multiple trips per day. The earliest departure is 06:30 in the morning and the latest is at 17:30.

Upon arrival at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3, you can take a 5-minute walk from the terminal to reach Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 (Arcade Bus Terminal) if your connecting minivan is booked with Prempracha. Head to the minivan parking area to find the next minivan leaving for Pai.

On the other hand, if your connecting trip is booked with Aya Service, you can take a 10-minute taxi ride from the terminal going to Srimongkol Road to board the minivan going to Pai.

The buses arrive at Pai Bus Station for Prempracha and at Aya Service Office for Aya Service.

We highly recommend booking your ride online to assure yourself of a seat. The minivan fare from Chiang Mai to Pai starts at €6.90 and this journey takes about 4h.

The last time we checked (October 2024), there were no available combined buses and minivans from Chiang Rai to Pai. Please click the link provided to see if anything has changed.

Travelling from Chiang Rai to Pai takes a bus and a minivan ride. You first need to take a bus from Chang Rai to Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai, you can transfer to a minivan and continue onward to Pai.

It is convenient to book a combined ticket from Chiang Rai to Pai to avoid tickets being sold out. There is only 1 trip per day departing at 09:00 offered by Prempracha and Green Bus companies.

The total travel duration for this route is about 8 hours 50 minutes including the 1-hour transfer time.

Departure and arrival stations

The Prempracha minivan departs from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, located beside the Pai Night Market in the city centre. The minivan from Chiang Rai completes its journey at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3.

From Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3, you need to switch bus stations and proceed to Chiang Mai Arcade 2 to board the Green Bus heading to Pai. These two bus stations are just a 5-minute walk from each other.

Note that you have to wait for about 1 hour for the next departure going to Pai. The final bus stop is at Pai Bus Station. From this terminal, you can reach Pai city centre in 5 minutes by taxi.

A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Chiang Rai to Pai.

Rates start from €195 for a 4-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s just about €49 per person. Travel time is around 5 hours 15 minutes.