Can anyone tell me if there is a shuttle bus going to Ratchaphreuk, how much it costs and where it leaves from?

Otherwise, what are the best options for getting there?

There are shuttle buses from so many places e.g. Kad Suan Keow, Big C Extra. They have a sign outside indicating the Royal Flora. I think they are free

I think there were only 2 or 3 free buses. The only ones I am sure of ran the first month from the train station and city hall. I do not know if they are still running.

The flier, which I can no longer find, was confusing in that it said FREE but then had a line or some kind of separation under 2 or 3 places and then listed other locations.

One site was Mee Choke Plaza, so we went there and waited in the Coffee Bus since the employees said it was a baht bus and stopped there every morning (and not the every 10 minutes like the flier implied). It turned out it was 400 baht for a direct run, regardless of the group size.

Based on that, I would just suggest flagging down an empty baht bus and negotiating your price.

There is a shuttle on charoen muang close to the train station.

Go to the Chiang Mai municipal office, it's free from there. Bus leave approx every 10 min!.

Or by the Train Station, I think that it's free there also.

Other location you mihgt have to pay a small fee, around 10-20 baht pre trip.

Go to the Chiang Mai municipal office, it's free from there. Bus leave approx every 10 min!.

Or by the Train Station, I think that it's free there also.

Other location you mihgt have to pay a small fee, around 10-20 baht pre trip.

As of last week, there were still signs up for free transport from both the municipal office and the train station. The fare from KSK is 25 baht per person or 150 baht for the whole songthiew. I assume the fares are similar from other locations to Royal Flora. On the way home late in the evening, the fare is whatever the driver can collect. When I last went he wanted 300 baht for the trip. We waited a few minutes and got 7 passengers to split the fare.

Is there free transport back into town? Until what time?

The TAT website says, "At present the garden is open only to groups and must be booked in advance." Anyone know if this is true? It certainly wasn't the case in 2012.

http://www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Sights-and-Attractions-Detail/Ratchaphruek-Garden--3932

not surprised really....I went there about a month ago, in so called high season and I was one of about a dozen people in the whole park...what was nice, a few couples there having their pre wedding photos in traditional costumes with the "world" gardens as backdrops.

It was fantastic for photos and not having everyone else queing for the same shot., but they had no staff there, almost every stall/shop was shut; just dozens of gardeners everywhere...even the lovely wat was locked up.

and my tickets, well they came free when I bought something at Siam tv,,...groups are viable as they can dig the bendy bus driver up and give him a job for an hour.

Its worth it for free but I wouldnt want to pay just now; its certainly not Royal Flora which was amazing.

Lucky I went in Feb last year then when everything was still open (I guess the Royal Flora was pushed back a month because of the floods). The ho kham is really worth seeing.