Anyone know what is the situation at bus and train terminals when purchasing tickets, Bangkok to Chiang Mai: is it too crowded to get to the ticket window?

Can one book a ticket one day; go the next? (In other words, no waiting period?)

Train: could one take 2 suitcases? (I presume that they have to be kept close by me.)

"Nok Air Bus"--I understand they have a terminal a little further than Mor Chit. Still functioning? And go to Chiang Mai?

Anyone know of a reliable taxi driver to go to Chiang Mai? (Would not want him to disappear with my things when at a rest stop.)

Thanks for any help you can give.

Correction:

"Nok Air Bus" is wrong; should read "Nakon Chai Air", a bus service.

Last I heard which was a couple of days ago buses were running ok to Chiang Mai but taking 14 hours instead of 9-10 because of a route change.

NCA or Nakon Chia Air First and VIP buses are nice.

Suggest booking ahead of time. At least one day.

As mentioned the trip will be longer than normal and take 12 - 14 hours.

About 800 -900 THB one way.

Air Asia is about 2,600 from Swampy airport to Chiang Mai.

Best booked a few days ahead.

Example tomorrow the 8th only one flight not sold out. about 9 pm from Swampy BKK airport 2,600 + bags or any other special add on's

NCA or Nakon Chia Air First and VIP buses are nice.

Suggest booking ahead of time. At least one day.

As mentioned the trip will be longer than normal and take 12 - 14 hours.

About 800 -900 THB one way.

Air Asia is about 2,600 from Swampy airport to Chiang Mai.

Best booked a few days ahead.

Example tomorrow the 8th only one flight not sold out. about 9 pm from Swampy BKK airport 2,600 + bags or any other special add on's

If you book just 6 or 7 days in advance you can fly Air Asia for under 1600 including taxes and fees.

Edited November 7, 201114 yr by Nisa

NOW is not crowded, and there is ample choice of some 20+ buslines BKk-Cmai. TV-users tend to be the panicking sort and shun anything that has not been mentioned here by other TV-users. SombatTOur, IndraTOur and MongkolTour also have quite good buses and drivers.

Train: NOW-you can simply check railway.co.th- there is just 1=ONE seat-only train running, the daytime sprinter, rerouted and thus taking even many more hrs as the normal long time of 12. The 5 other nighttrains with beds do NOT run.

Flights: make your choice, NOK and ThaiOreint now also operate out of Swampy and of coruse THAI. Demand has fallen a big lot-simple thinking would have led to same conclusion.

Hello from ChMai here-nice city, not a flood to be seen and 100s of empty rooms in all price levels-the cheap ones are NOT on www and do not take advance bookings.