Train To Bus

[Robby nz]

I will be arriving in Chiang Mai on Sunday by train and have to get a bus on to Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong.

What I dont know is how to get from the train station to the bus station.

Could anyone help me with the best way to do this?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It's not too far. There will be some tuk tuks and proper taxis waiting, but those are not the cheapest options, and taxis won't use the meter even if it says 'taxi meter' on the roof. Still, a tuk tuk should take you there for 60-80 baht after some negotiation. (even this is high of course). Meter taxi probably won't go below 100, but I don't know because I never bother with them.

Cheapest public transport in Chiang Mai are the the 'Rot Daeng (Red Bus) share taxis. There will be some of these also waiting stationary at the railway station, and they will,l ask for the same amount as the tuk tuks to drive you straight to the bus station.

Cheapest is to walk to the main road to the North fo the railway station (keep walking North, past the old steam locomotive that's on display) until you hit the main road. Then CROSS the main road so you are on the side where traffic flows in an Easterly direction. Then flag down a passing Red Bus, and tell him you're going to the Arcade Bus Terminal. ("Khonsong Arcade"). They're share taxis, so if he's already committed to going some place else then he won't take you. Or he may just nod, then don't ask a price and just get in; it'll be 20 baht. Or he may ask for a higher price; you can either tell him no, stick up 2 fingers liker a 'Victory sign' to indicate you want 20 baht, or agree with whatever he's asking for.

Red buses look like this:

It's not far; 2.5 kms, well under 10 minutes.

If you're going to Chiang Khong, try to get a direct aircon bus. The more expensive and direct the better, the cheaper ones stop all over the place and it takes forever.

Edited July 8, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Robby nz]

Thanks Winnie.

Been in Thailand for a while now so know some of the tricks and dont mind walking a bit.

Robby

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun RobbieNZ,

Khun WinnieTK has given you excellent instructions; would add one caveat re the songthaews, aka rot daeng, aka samlor: if you are new in town, and your spoken Thai is awkward: songthaews will often have a group of people headed towards different destinations: you may, or may not, get where you are going in a timely way.

If you are not pressed for time to catch a bus at the Arcade Station, you may enjoy an excursion, or you may not. If your Thai skills are good enough to ask the driver if you will be taken first, or straight to, the bus station, or where the other people are going, and how long it will take you to get to the bus station, that's great. If not, and if time is an issue, you may want to engage a tuk-tuk.

best, ~o:37;

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Thanks Winnie.

Been in Thailand for a while now so know some of the tricks and dont mind walking a bit.

Robby

Good. Anyway this is what the Railway station area looks like:

Edited July 8, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[wolf5370]

It's not too far. There will be some tuk tuks and proper taxis waiting, but those are not the cheapest options, and taxis won't use the meter even if it says 'taxi meter' on the roof. Still, a tuk tuk should take you there for 60-80 baht after some negotiation. (even this is high of course). Meter taxi probably won't go below 100, but I don't know because I never bother with them.

Cheapest public transport in Chiang Mai are the the 'Rot Daeng (Red Bus) share taxis. There will be some of these also waiting stationary at the railway station, and they will,l ask for the same amount as the tuk tuks to drive you straight to the bus station.

Cheapest is to walk to the main road to the North fo the railway station (keep walking North, past the old steam locomotive that's on display) until you hit the main road. Then CROSS the main road so you are on the side where traffic flows in an Easterly direction. Then flag down a passing Red Bus, and tell him you're going to the Arcade Bus Terminal. ("Khonsong Arcade"). They're share taxis, so if he's already committed to going some place else then he won't take you. Or he may just nod, then don't ask a price and just get in; it'll be 20 baht. Or he may ask for a higher price; you can either tell him no, stick up 2 fingers liker a 'Victory sign' to indicate you want 20 baht, or agree with whatever he's asking for.

Red buses look like this:

It's not far; 2.5 kms, well under 10 minutes.

If you're going to Chiang Khong, try to get a direct aircon bus. The more expensive and direct the better, the cheaper ones stop all over the place and it takes forever.

well the other coloured song taews are cheaper for small hops - Yellow and blue songtaews charge 10 baht for an adult for small journeys (like from Hang Dong to Airport Plaza - yellow - or Iron bridge to the farang graveyard - blue). The songtaews at the station are greedy badgers - even more so at the Arcade (bus garrage) - personally I would walk a bit and flag one down in the road - walk up the road towards the petrol station, past the car part shops and flag one down - then you'll pay just 20 baht (if you get an honest one - or 40 plus otherwise).

btw the (not)metered taxis at the Arcade will drive out to say Hang Dong for 150B, where as the Songtaews will not go below 300b (just too many dumb <deleted> willing to pay that much) - I usually walk back to Kaew Nawarat and flag one down instead - or trot over the highway to Carre-four (erm BigC now) and get one there - set prices on the board.

Oh incidently, if you are going via Green Bus from the Arcade - afternoon buses are much cheaper (morning ones are popular for same day visa runs) - they do several classes, and the girl will expect you want air-con, so you will probably get a VX (about 450B depending on season) or the next one down (about 250B) which is basically the same but not as pretty - I prefer them as the aircon is not usually so bloody cold as the VX's are!

Edited July 8, 2011 by wolf5370

[hellodolly]

It's not too far. There will be some tuk tuks and proper taxis waiting, but those are not the cheapest options, and taxis won't use the meter even if it says 'taxi meter' on the roof. Still, a tuk tuk should take you there for 60-80 baht after some negotiation. (even this is high of course). Meter taxi probably won't go below 100, but I don't know because I never bother with them.

Cheapest public transport in Chiang Mai are the the 'Rot Daeng (Red Bus) share taxis. There will be some of these also waiting stationary at the railway station, and they will,l ask for the same amount as the tuk tuks to drive you straight to the bus station.

Cheapest is to walk to the main road to the North fo the railway station (keep walking North, past the old steam locomotive that's on display) until you hit the main road. Then CROSS the main road so you are on the side where traffic flows in an Easterly direction. Then flag down a passing Red Bus, and tell him you're going to the Arcade Bus Terminal. ("Khonsong Arcade"). They're share taxis, so if he's already committed to going some place else then he won't take you. Or he may just nod, then don't ask a price and just get in; it'll be 20 baht. Or he may ask for a higher price; you can either tell him no, stick up 2 fingers liker a 'Victory sign' to indicate you want 20 baht, or agree with whatever he's asking for.

Red buses look like this:

It's not far; 2.5 kms, well under 10 minutes.

If you're going to Chiang Khong, try to get a direct aircon bus. The more expensive and direct the better, the cheaper ones stop all over the place and it takes forever.

Also if you follow Khwai's instructions to get a red bus on the road you would also be able to get a tuck tuck there for 60 baht.

[uptheos]

Or he may ask for a higher price; you can either tell him no, stick up 2 fingers liker a 'Victory sign' to indicate you want 20 baht, or agree with whatever he's asking for.

Yeah, that sticking up of two fingers is a tricky one......make sure the palm of the hand is facing the driver.