Where In Chiangmai Is The Train Station?

[kenk3z]

Silly question anyway, since where ever the train station is, there will be a taxi to take me where I'm going...... But, I like to plan things on a map and try to pick places to see based on a starting point.

Generally speaking, what side of town has the train station? If you could specify a street or landmark (like a Wat or hotel) close by that would help.

I have Nancy Chandler's map of Chiangmai and can place the airport, but not the train station..........

Thanks,

kenk3z

[p1p]

Cross Nawarat Bridge from Thapae and go straight on for about 1.5 Kms. It is on the Right hand side before you reach the super highway.

[cutethaigirl]

Coming from BKK you simply follow the railway track until you reach the very end and that is the station.

Out of the station and turn left. The Ping river is about 2KM then go into Thapae Road for another 2km you will come to the moat.

EVERY map shows the railway station.

It is East of the City.

Ct

[kenk3z]

OK, got it. Pardon me for my temporary blindness. I think the big picture of the locomotive and huge railroad tracks on the map threw me off a bit.

I also like the route shown for the #10 air-conditioned bus around the city. Looks like a great way to make a first survey for a new tourist. Inexpensive too - the map says "only 10 Baht to the end of the line". It doesn't really say where the "end of the line" is, but I presume you can't just keep riding. As in making two circuits of the loop before you get off. Not that I wouldn't mind paying 20 baht for the extra ride time - I'd just like to know where that would happen.

Thanks for the help - great forum section.

kenk3z

[chanchao]

> I also like the route shown for the #10 air-conditioned bus around the

> city. Looks like a great way to make a first survey for a new tourist.

Yes it is. The route is shown on all the bus stops. Perhaps you'd want to get off at Airport Plaza or Tesco Lotus to avoid going all the way South of town; the bus is operated by the same people who own some housing development down there, and the bus drives past it before returning back to Chiang Mai and towards the airport.

Basically the bus does something like:

Airport -> Up to Hua Rin corner, the North-Western corner of the city moat, then into the old city area, emerging on the Eastern moat near Somphet market, then goes to the Big Market (Kad Luang / Talad Warorot), along the Night Bazar road South, then back West along Sridonchai road until the Southern moat (near Chiang Mai gate) then branches off South along Wualai Road towards Airport plaza, then further South past Tesco Lotus and all the way down to this Housing estate before U-turning and coming back up towards the Airport.

Cheers,

Chanchao

Inexpensive too

[cutethaigirl]

Hi

If you take the 10 bus it will go to that housing estate.

Take your swimming trunks and go for a swim at the end of the line?

Or come visit for a plate of noodles and tea. Mixed culture thing:-)

If you have the time it is worth staying on as you say only 10 bahts and you can see a little of outside CMai.

have fun

[kenk3z]

My visit to CM was last weekend. I saw the bus come by the hotel several times but could not get it to stop to take us on. My girlfriend said it wouldn't stop because she was Thai - but I told her that was ridiculous and that we just didn't know the system. Perhaps there are specific bus stops?

We walked a bit up and down the road from the Royal Princess but never saw any specific bus stop.

For my next visit to CM, can someone comment on how you get on the #10 bus? Is it on a bus stop system?

I must seem fairly helpless - but my girlfriend was totally unprepared for the tout solicitations we got immediately upon walking out of the RP Hotel. Tuk-tuk and car drivers spotted us and started running toward us trying to lock us into a tour. For example, one lady wanted to take us several places (Wat Doi Suthep, then some elephant place, then the umbrella factory, then the butterfly farm, etc. etc.) that she probably gets a commission from - 800 Baht. Apparently my TGF had never been approached like this before and could not bring herself to just say "No Thank You" and walk away. But she did latch onto the "butterfly farm" thing and when we finally worked a deal that's one place we went. It's a pretty nice place to visit at Mae Rim. We passed on the Elephant farm and actually went to the Snake Farm. When the tuk-tuk pulled up the people started laughing and wanted to charge us 100 Baht each to visit. My comment is that the place looks a little "snakey" as in, maybe not all the snakes can be confined to their cages. So we got right back in the tuk-tuk. Basically, we had a hard time to bargain to go just where we wanted and back - but if you hold firm and walk away smiling from one tout you get some level of respect from the next if they saw you walk.

Yes, that's quite a tuk-tuk ride out that far and back.

The songtaew drivers that take you up to Wat Doi Suthep want you to agree to a round-trip deal where you lock in for the trip up and back. Nothing wrong with the rate, but I felt pushed by the time constraint. The driver wanted us back after only about an hour at the Wat. There is a lot to see and we would have spent much of the afternoon there without the agreement to meet back at the songtaew. So my recommendation is to agree only to the trip up, spend as much time as you want, and you'll have no problem to find someone to take you back down. I also had some trouble getting the TGF to understand that we needed to wait 5 minutes for additional songtaew passengers rather than charter the whole truck - She really was out of her element in Chiangmai compared to her familiar BKK.

kenk3z

[cutethaigirl]

My visit to CM was last weekend. I saw the bus come by the hotel several times but could not get it to stop to take us on. My girlfriend said it wouldn't stop because she was Thai - but I told her that was ridiculous and that we just didn't know the system. Perhaps there are specific bus stops?

We walked a bit up and down the road from the Royal Princess but never saw any specific bus stop.

For my next visit to CM, can someone comment on how you get on the #10 bus? Is it on a bus stop system?

i realise it is quite a novelty in Thailand but yes there are stops.

Quite bright.

From the RP hotel the nearest is on the other side of the road going north about 500M

Each stop has a map of the route on it.

the tuk tuk drivers are pussy cats here compared to BKK!!

Of course outside hotels anywhere there are people after making some cash.

They are not gansters though:-)

Now you know why Norther Thais speak a different language. Hee Hee

have fun next time

[kenk3z]

Thanks for the info - I'll keep that filed away for the next trip - hopefully to spend more time in CM than just a weekend. Will probably stay at the Royal Princess again. Its a little worn but the staff were very nice and its in a convenient location. And I have to say the food from the restaurants there was very good.

I really had no problems at all with the driver touts, tuk-tuk or car, but it was amusing to watch the girlfriend try to deal with it. She would talk-talk-talk with the tout in Thai about who knows what, and whenever I could break in and get the facts it would be a quick "No Thank You" and move on. She just couldn't break herself away.

Once agreed upon as far as where we were going and the fare, I never had any problem with anyone changing the agreement or pulling any kind of tricks like you hear about in Bangkok.

I made some preliminary mention of "maybe, possibly" renting a scooter next time but that got a fairly cool reception.

kenk3z

[Kan Win]

Opps, sorry

Edited September 20, 2004 by Kan Win

[Kan Win]

The Station.......

I give up for today.... No Pic no Fun..

[Kan Win]

Ahhhh now it works....

[Kan Win]

Ehh, Kan one help you with the trains at the Chiang Mai Railway Station…

The next train leaving Platform #13 is the 340 bound for Nakon ……

And for all of you on a tight Budget ……… from Chiang Mai Railway Station…. Back to Bangkok…

Should there be a Full Moon around the corner during your stay, you could always sing this song ”Buggy Nights” whist riding on this little one

Happy Days

Kan Win