Transport from Chiang Rai airport to Mae Sai

[GroveHillWanderer]

Does anyone have any advice or knowledge about the best way to get from Chiang Rai airport to Mae Sai? Just regular airport taxi, book something ahead of time (do they have Grab, Uber in CR) etc? I'm not looking for necessarily the absolute cheapest option (though not the most expensive either), I'd like something comfortable and reliable/reputable. Any suggestions?

[moontang]

Walk out to the main road and flag one of the rickety local busses that goes to Maesai or flag one of the modern vans operated by green bus, but they might be full....50-60 THB I recall.  Rickety bus will take 20 minutes longer max, but it is totally pleasant, except for no ac....there can be checkpoints up there, so don't be on overstay, and I have even checked for overstay waiting for a bus in CR, at a noodle chop.  

 

So, standing on the side of the road flagging a bus or van is kind of cheap Charlie, but it is simply the way they get between small towns up there.  Metered cab?  Not as safe as rickety bus, more safe than van, but will be 1000+.  Don't know what the airport offers...in Udon, it is 200 for the van to the border..about the same distance...but the same van is 50-60 in town.  I always like a few km walk after a cramped plane ride.  Saved thousands over the years in CM just walking 12 minutes to Airport Plaza and catching a yellow songthaew for 10 THB.  A benefit of being compelled to travel light.

Edited March 18, 2019 by moontang

[sanmyintmaung]

Nok Air has fly n ride service to Mae Sai. Ticket include flight from BKK to Chiang Rai and Van ticket from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai.

https://content.nokair.com/en/Booking/Where-we-fly/Flight-Service/Fly-n-Ride/MaeSai

[sceadugenga]

Grab is available in Chiang Rai.

[moontang]

the nok idea is good, as I would tend to fly with them, too, unless vietjet served...in maesai red songthaews are good, so dont worry about only getting to the bus station...but only motos late...and i have walked that, too, but more like 4 km or so.  I actually took moto guy's offer on a good hotel, and it was damn near perfect for 350 or so, and there are some crummy guest houses around there...been a few years and things can change quickly in places like that.  Chinese invasion and large scale crackdowns on visa runners could change things a lot.

Edited March 18, 2019 by moontang

[GroveHillWanderer]

OK, thanks for the info. Plenty to digest there.

[KC 71]

Taxi


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[BritManToo]

On 3/18/2019 at 9:55 AM, GroveHillWanderer said:

Does anyone have any advice or knowledge about the best way to get from Chiang Rai airport to Mae Sai?

Both the bus stations have vans leaving every 20mins (or so), think it's 50bht and drops you at the Mae Sai bus station.

Songtaw to the border is another 15bht.