How to get from Pai to Chiang Rai

Why visit Chiang Rai?

Chiang Rai is a great place to escape from the more touristic Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Home to the iconic Wat Rong Khun or White Temple, this city is a fusion of two countries that captured and recaptured Chiang Rai for centuries: Thailand and Myanmar.

Adventurers will not run out of amazing things to do in Chiang Rai. With its lush green mountain landscape, you can hike or trek to a number of hot springs and waterfalls. Within the city, you can find interesting shopping finds and traditional Thai food at the lively street market and night bazaars.

There are 4 ways to travel the 300 kilometres (186 miles) from Pai to Chiang Rai. You can choose between the bus + minivan (Combined tickets)*, shared minivan, private transport and bus + minivan (Separate tickets). The journey takes 5 hours 15 minutes to 12 hours and the quickest way is by private transport. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus + minivan (separate tickets) with tickets starting at 486 THB ($15).

Booking separate bus and minivan tickets for the Pai to Chiang Rai route can be a really good option, especially if you want to have a little trip in Chiang Mai or want to save some bucks.

The total travel duration for this option is 6 hours 40 minutes to 12 hours, excluding the transfer time. The combined fare starts at 486 THB ($15).

There are multiple trips per day so best to align your schedules. We have provided a step-by-step guide below.

To travel from Pai to Chiang Mai, you can take a minivan for the first leg of the journey. There are also buses, but we don’t recommend this as the road is full of hairpin turns. This can be an unpleasant journey in a larger vehicle.

In travelling from Pai to Chiang Mai, we recommend booking with either Prempracha or Aya Service. There are multiple trips daily from 07:00 until 17:00. The ticket starts at 230 THB ($7.10) and the travel duration takes 3h 20m - 4h.

Prempracha buses depart from Pai Bus Station in the city centre, near Pai Walking Street. Its final stop is at the Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 (Arcade Bus Station). Beside this terminal is the bus station where you can take a bus bound for Chiang Rai.

On the other hand, Aya Service departs from Aya Service Office in Pai and completes its journey at Srimongkol Road. This road is just a 5-minute drive from the Chiang Mai city centre.

Once you arrive at the Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 in Chiang Mai, make your way to the Green Buses in the parking area. This is where you will find the buses heading to Chiang Rai.

We recommend booking your tickets for the bus to Chiang Rai in advance as tickets sell out quickly. Booking your bus ticket online costs at least 256 THB ($7.90).

Green Bus departs from the Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 located 5km northeast of the Chiang Mai Old City. The bus arrives at the Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 in the city centre, next to the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar.

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

The advantage of booking a combined ticket is that you won’t worry about missing out on tickets for the next part of your journey. The disadvantage is that there are very limited seats, so you have to book tickets well in advance.

There used to be a direct trip from Pai to Chiang Rai operated by Terminal Green. However, the last time we checked (October 2022), this direct trip has been unavailable since the pandemic.

Instead, you can book combined bus and minivan tickets in 12GoAsia for 510 THB ($15.70). The whole travel takes about 8 hours 55 minutes, which includes the 1-hour layover time.

The combined tickets from Pai to Chiang Rai are offered by Prempracha and Green Bus companies. There is only one trip per day departing at 09:00 in the morning.

Departure and arrival station

The minivan departs from the Pai Bus Station beside the Pai Night Market in the city centre. The minivan takes you to Chiang Mai Arcade 2. At this station, you will need to self-transfer to the connecting bus heading for Chiang Rai, located in the nearby Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3.

Note that this is a self-connect trip and you have to wait for about an hour for the next departure going to Chiang Rai. The final bus stop is at Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1. From this terminal, you can reach the Chang Rai city centre in just a 5-minute ride.

A minivan ride from Pai to Chiang Rai costs around 529 THB ($16.30). The minivan journey takes about 6 hours 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Terminal Green operates on this route.

Shared Minivan options from Pai to Chiang Rai

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

Rates start from 6,778 THB ($210) for a 4-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s just about 1,694 THB ($52) per person. Travel time is around 5 hours 15 minutes.