Public Transport in CM

[SiamAndy]

What is the current price in CM for a Songthaew ride? Have the Blue Buses (R1, R2 etc) resumed operation in CM? Thanks in advance!

[CMBob]

Standard fare as written on the side of each songteaw (red ones) is 30 baht.  Occasionally, you'll see the driver hold up 4 fingers, meaning he/she wants 40 baht (up to you to agree or not).  Of course, if you are going to unusual destinations, they may ask for more.  Not sure about current prices for the other colored baht busses, been a while since I've been on the blue or white baht busses but I do see them around.

Worst mistake is to ask how much as you'll see a grin on the driver's face and he/she almost always will ask for more.  If the driver is okay with the destination, just hop on and pay 30 baht.  Another common mistake by tourists is to approach the driver with a map in hand as that almost always ends up with a higher fare.

Edited August 5, 2022 by CMBob

[SamSanuk]

The 20 baht buses, which were absolutely wonderful, are not running now. Shame really. 

 

Would love to know if there are any plans to bring them back.

[elektrified]

28 minutes ago, SamSanuk said:

The 20 baht buses, which were absolutely wonderful, are not running now. Shame really. 

 

Would love to know if there are any plans to bring them back.

No. They are all for sale. A couple of them have sold already.

[SiamAndy]

50 minutes ago, elektrified said:

No. They are all for sale. A couple of them have sold already.

Sad to hear the Blue Buses are no more.

[BangkokHank]

I would love to live in Chiang Mai, but the main reason I refuse to is its complete lack of a modern/fair/reasonable transport system. So they allow the transport mafia to win, while everybody else loses out.

[DezLez]

4 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

he main reason I refuse to is its complete lack of a modern/fair/reasonable transport system.

That must count as the lamest excuse I have ever heard regarding a reason for NOT living in CM!

Songtows, Tuk Tuks, Grab, Bolt, Taxis, private hire, limos, friends and neighbours etc all available at reasonable, by western standards, fares!

[BangkokHank]

50 minutes ago, DezLez said:

That must count as the lamest excuse I have ever heard regarding a reason for NOT living in CM!

Songtows, Tuk Tuks, Grab, Bolt, Taxis, private hire, limos, friends and neighbours etc all available at reasonable, by western standards, fares!

So you think it's reasonable to have to rely on friends and neighbors and taxis to get around a city? What about a public bus system, as is the norm in cities of that size?

[arithai12]

51 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

I would love to live in Chiang Mai, but the main reason I refuse to is its complete lack of a modern/fair/reasonable transport system. So they allow the transport mafia to win, while everybody else loses out.

Compared to what? Certainly not Bangkok, where the only "reasonable" option is the bts/mrt and that involves long times (including accessing the station, queuing, transferring) and relatively steep prices. Not to mention freezing to death while standing shoulder to shoulder.

One reason why public buses did not really take off in CM is that it's super easy to move around by yourself, for most people who can drive eg. a scooter. I can get anywhere I want, among the places I usually need, in 15 min. That's much less than the time to travel the same distance in Bangkok by public transportation.

If you can't / don't want to use your own, Grab is readily available but of course more expensive.

 

If for "transport mafia" you mean red buses and tuk-tuks, you have a point. But I have not had to use one for many years.

 

Then again, to each their own. If modern/reasonable transport system is a must for you, perhaps Thailand is not the right country to start with.

[arithai12]

4 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

So you think it's reasonable to have to rely on friends and neighbors and taxis to get around a city? What about a public bus system, as is the norm in cities of that size?

They started with 3 lines (the "white buses" mentioned in the thread), at 20B fixed price. It didn't really succeed for the reasons in my previous post. The few times I used one, out of curiosity rather than need, it was always empty.

There is now talk of a light rail system... don't hold your breath.

[BangkokHank]

3 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Compared to what? Certainly not Bangkok, where the only "reasonable" option is the bts/mrt and that involves long times (including accessing the station, queuing, transferring) and relatively steep prices. Not to mention freezing to death while standing shoulder to shoulder.

One reason why public buses did not really take off in CM is that it's super easy to move around by yourself, for most people who can drive eg. a scooter. I can get anywhere I want, among the places I usually need, in 15 min. That's much less than the time to travel the same distance in Bangkok by public transportation.

If you can't / don't want to use your own, Grab is readily available but of course more expensive.

 

If for "transport mafia" you mean red buses and tuk-tuks, you have a point. But I have not had to use one for many years.

 

Then again, to each their own. If modern/reasonable transport system is a must for you, perhaps Thailand is not the right country to start with.

I live in Bangkok, which I think has a great public transport system. I can get to just about everywhere I need to on very comfortable, frequent buses, as well as the BTS when I'm in the city center. And when I'm out late at night when the buses aren't running anymore, then I can used one of the many fairly priced normal metered taxis, or Bolt. So the problem is not with me - or with Thailand. The problem is with Chiang Mai.

[malibukid]

1 hour ago, SiamAndy said:

Sad to hear the Blue Buses are no more.

why?  too much competition? 

[malibukid]

1 minute ago, BangkokHank said:

I live in Bangkok, which I think has a great public transport system. I can get to just about everywhere I need to on very comfortable, frequent buses, as well as the BTS when I'm in the city center. And when I'm out late at night when the buses aren't running anymore, then I can used one of the many fairly priced normal metered taxis, or Bolt. So the problem is not with me - or with Thailand. The problem is with Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is run by gangsters and cops.  the blue buses where great, dependable, safe, and A/C.  i now use Grab.  F the songthew mafia.

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

They started with 3 lines (the "white buses" mentioned in the thread), at 20B fixed price. It didn't really succeed for the reasons in my previous post. The few times I used one, out of curiosity rather than need, it was always empty.

There is now talk of a light rail system... don't hold your breath.

Just before Covid and when the buses stopped running , they were becoming quite popular , usually quite full with students .

   I did use the blue buses quite as often as I could , but after waiting for 15 minutes at a bus stop for one to come along , I just jump into a same prices red car

[CMBob]

Contrary to some, I use the baht busses all the time around here without any problem. Rather easy to get anywhere between the river and CMU.  Tuk tuks are okay if you must.  And, as stated, it's rather easy to obtain a Grab right to your doorstep just about any time and prices (my view) are reasonable.

Whether we will see the return of the air-conditioned busses is unknown (maybe never but likely not until tourist numbers return to prior levels).

Edited August 5, 2022 by CMBob

[arithai12]

3 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

I live in Bangkok, which I think has a great public transport system. I can get to just about everywhere I need to on very comfortable, frequent buses, as well as the BTS when I'm in the city center. And when I'm out late at night when the buses aren't running anymore, then I can used one of the many fairly priced normal metered taxis, or Bolt. So the problem is not with me - or with Thailand. The problem is with Chiang Mai.

Comfortable and frequent, sorry I had to laugh. I lived in Bangkok too, I know what it is like, bus or BTS. Anyway, you are right, CM is very problematic, better you stay there.

 

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

3 hours ago, SamSanuk said:

The 20 baht buses, which were absolutely wonderful, are not running now. Shame really. 

 

Would love to know if there are any plans to bring them back.

Hopefully  not at that  price. Same in Pattaya- prices should double

[arithai12]

39 minutes ago, CMBob said:

Contrary to some, I use the baht busses all the time around here without any problem. Rather easy to get anywhere between the river and CMU.  Tuk tuks are okay if you must.  And, as stated, it's rather easy to obtain a Grab right to your doorstep just about any time and prices (my view) are reasonable.

Whether we will see the return of the air-conditioned busses is unknown (maybe never but likely not until tourist numbers return to prior levels).

After covid, which obliterated red buses and tuk-tuks, I was hoping they would never come back. I dislike the way the drive, the pollution, and that they are leased by richer people to poor folks who can barely make a living out of it ("mafia" is the word used  by some posters). But no, they are back in big numbers.

CM deserves better than that, a proper bus system would be great but will never do the door-to-door service of a tuk-tuk and CM people are often too lazy to walk a little.

Meanwhile, I am happy to move around by scooter 95% of the time and 5% by Grab if weather/shopping is too much. As you say, quite reasonable prices and usually very kind.

[DezLez]

52 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

I can used one of the many fairly priced normal metered taxis, or Bolt.

Are you saying that you are happy to use Bolt in BKK but not in CM?

If that is so please explain!

[BangkokHank]

1 minute ago, DezLez said:

Are you saying that you are happy to use Bolt in BKK but not in CM?

If that is so please explain!

I am happy to use it on rare occasions late at night when the regular bus system is not operating. But I don't want to have to rely on it as my main means of transport. Is this an acceptable explanation to you?

[DezLez]

52 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Just before Covid and when the buses stopped running , they were becoming quite popular , usually quite full with students .

   I did use the blue buses quite as often as I could , but after waiting for 15 minutes at a bus stop for one to come along , I just jump into a same prices red car

With the app on your phone you knew exactly where the buses were and whether to wait or not.

[Mac Mickmanus]

52 minutes ago, malibukid said:

Chiang Mai is run by gangsters and cops.  the blue buses where great, dependable, safe, and A/C.  i now use Grab.  F the songthew mafia.

TBH , it was a transport company that was running the buses and it was Covid that put a stop to them , rather than gangsters 

[DezLez]

1 minute ago, BangkokHank said:

I am happy to use it on rare occasions late at night when the regular bus system is not operating. But I don't want to have to rely on it as my main means of transport. Is this an acceptable explanation to you?

No!

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

They started with 3 lines (the "white buses" mentioned in the thread), at 20B fixed price. It didn't really succeed for the reasons in my previous post. The few times I used one, out of curiosity rather than need, it was always empty.

There is now talk of a light rail system... don't hold your breath.

IMO, what they should have done was to introduce many more routes in the beginning , buses covering the whole of CM and then had bus passes where you could travel anywhere in the space of 1 hour using as many buses as you liked , which would have made the buses as convenient as the red cars and more people would have used the blue buses 

[jesimps]

3 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

I would love to live in Chiang Mai, but the main reason I refuse to is its complete lack of a modern/fair/reasonable transport system. So they allow the transport mafia to win, while everybody else loses out.

One of the reasons I liked living in Pattaya as a single guy. 10 or 20 baht per trip, depending on the route. I've had a car for the last 13 years and it's a lot more hassle than the baht buses, but her indoors insists on it.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, arithai12 said:

Compared to what? Certainly not Bangkok, where the only "reasonable" option is the bts/mrt and that involves long times (including accessing the station, queuing, transferring) and relatively steep prices. Not to mention freezing to death while standing shoulder to shoulder.

One reason why public buses did not really take off in CM is that it's super easy to move around by yourself, for most people who can drive eg. a scooter. I can get anywhere I want, among the places I usually need, in 15 min. That's much less than the time to travel the same distance in Bangkok by public transportation.

If you can't / don't want to use your own, Grab is readily available but of course more expensive.

 

If for "transport mafia" you mean red buses and tuk-tuks, you have a point. But I have not had to use one for many years.

 

Then again, to each their own. If modern/reasonable transport system is a must for you, perhaps Thailand is not the right country to start with.

Near where I stay you have Nakhon Sawan which has a good transport system with baht buses at 10 Bt, then go about 140Ks north and there is Phitsanulok which has or had a very poor local transport system. I suppose it just depends on the city.

[BangkokHank]

2 hours ago, DezLez said:

No!

You wouldn't happen to be the president of the Chiang Mai Transport Mafia Union, would you? And if you're not, why would you so strongly support an obviously inadequate transport system?

[DezLez]

1 hour ago, BangkokHank said:

why would you so strongly support an obviously inadequate transport system?

"why would you so strongly support an obviously inadequate transport system?"

 

Because it ls perfectly adequate as shown by the lack of support to your asinine comments on the subject in this forum.

 

I am quite sure that the transport community in CM, and probably most of the rest of CM for that matter, will heave a huge sigh of relief to learn  that you will not be dispersing your measly largesse amongst them, or us.

Please enjoy your stay in BKK.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by DezLez

[SiamAndy]

Are the Grab and Bolt fares roughly the same? I've used Grab Car before but have not tried Bolt since they are newer to CM.

[1FinickyOne]

10 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

I would love to live in Chiang Mai, but the main reason I refuse to is its complete lack of a modern/fair/reasonable transport system. So they allow the transport mafia to win, while everybody else loses out.

geez - if you would love to live here, just take a Grab - walk or songtaew... it's not that expensive and very easy.