Compare the three ways north
| Option | Bangkok departure | Chiang Mai arrival | Journey | Sold online for November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | Don Mueang (DMK) or Suvarnabhumi (BKK) | Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) | 1 hr 15 min from DMK, 1 hr 20–25 min from BKK | From 1,550 THB, cabin bag only |
| Sleeper train 9 | Krung Thep Aphiwat, 18:40 | Chiang Mai station, 07:15 next day | 12 hr 35 min | Berth fares vary by class and date |
| Day bus | Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal | Arcade bus terminal | About 10 hr 20 min | From 722 THB per adult |
Check times & tickets Return journey
The flight is quickest on the map, but add the airport transfer at both ends, check-in time and any bag fee. The overnight train replaces a hotel night and arrives in the morning. The bus is the fallback when trains are full.
Sleeper train times and ticket prices
SRT's published timetable for the Northern Line gives these Chiang Mai trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat:
| Train | Leaves Aphiwat | Arrives Chiang Mai | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 07:30 | 17:50 | Daytime air-conditioned seated train |
| 9 | 18:40 | 07:15 next day | Overnight sleeper |
| 13 | 20:05 | 08:45 next day | Overnight train with several classes |
| 51 | 22:30 | 11:40 next day | Overnight train, includes Class 3 Fan seats |
Train 7 is seated all the way, so it is not a cheaper sleeper. On trains with several classes, the fare decides whether you get a bed. For late October and November 2026, a Class 3 Fan seat on train 51 was sold online for 324 THB per adult, while second-class air-conditioned sleeper berths on the overnight trains were sold from about 850 THB upwards. An extra train, 109, was also on sale, leaving Aphiwat at 14:15 and reaching Chiang Mai at 04:00, which is an awkward arrival time.
Book in SRT's D-Ticket system or a booking site. SRT's own conditions allow up to 180 days ahead, and the issued ticket names the train, carriage and berth. The train guide explains the carriage types.
Getting to Krung Thep Aphiwat or Mo Chit 2
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal is next to the MRT Blue Line and the Red Line. From Don Mueang Airport, the Red Line runs straight to Aphiwat, which suits a same-day connection to an evening sleeper. Leave time to walk from the commuter platforms to the intercity hall.
Some tickets are issued from Don Mueang station rather than Aphiwat. These show a later boarding time for the same train, for example 20:22 instead of 20:05 for train 13. Board where your ticket says.
Coaches use Mo Chit 2, The Transport Co.'s Chatuchak terminal. It is not the BTS Mo Chit station, so allow for a taxi or bus between the two. Nakhonchai Air uses its own Bangkok station, shown on tickets as "Nakhonchaiair Station Bangkok", so check which terminal your ticket names.
Bangkok to Chiang Mai bus: classes and terminals
For November 2026, The Transport Co. coaches were sold online from 722 THB per adult, leaving Mo Chit 2 from 07:25 and taking about 10 hr 20 min. Nakhonchai Air's Gold Class left its own station at 09:00 for 898 THB and arrived at its own Chiang Mai terminal. Sritawong Tour sold a 21:30 Super VIP departure, arriving 07:50, for 1,308 THB.
Class names belong to each operator and do not promise the same seat layout or meal. Read the class on your ticket before comparing prices.
In Chiang Mai, The Transport Co. tickets end at the Arcade bus terminal, listed online as Arcade 2 or Terminal 3. Nakhonchai Air uses its own terminal. Both are outside the Old City, so plan a ride for the last stretch.
Flight time, fares and Chiang Mai Airport
Direct flights leave both Bangkok airports. For November 2026, the lowest fares seen were on Don Mueang morning departures at 1,550 THB with a 7 kg cabin allowance and no checked bag. Weekend Suvarnabhumi flights on full-service airlines were sold for more than 3,000 THB. Choose the airport that matches your arrival in Thailand or your hotel; the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang guides cover the city links.
At Chiang Mai Airport, AOT lists airport shuttle routes A1 and A2 at 40 THB to Nimmanhaemin and the Old City moat or the Night Bazaar area, and A3 at 60 THB. Metered taxis leave from Entrance 1 with a 50 THB charge added to the meter, and Grab pickups use a marked point in the car park. The Chiang Mai guide covers transport around the city.
Coming back to Bangkok
The return timetable is not a mirror of the outbound one. SRT lists daytime train 8 at 07:30, arriving at Aphiwat 17:40, and sleeper train 10 at 18:20, arriving 06:30. For November 2026, a second-class air-conditioned sleeper on train 10 was sold online for 1,328 THB.
Online listings for the same month add earlier departures. Sleeper train 14 left at 17:05 and arrived at 05:55, and train 52 left at 15:30, reaching Don Mueang at 04:53 and Krung Thep Aphiwat at about 05:10; their berths were sold for 893 to 1,128 THB. Day train 102 left at 06:25 and reached Aphiwat at 20:05, with Class 3 Fan seats at 280 THB. These times come from the online listings, so check them on your ticket.
Return coaches leave Chiang Mai's Arcade terminal from 07:30 and take about 10 hr 40 min to Mo Chit 2 from 722 THB. Evening flights from Chiang Mai to Don Mueang were sold from about 1,500 THB.
If you are continuing north rather than back to Bangkok, the Chiang Mai–Chiang Rai bus leaves from the same Arcade terminal.
Questions before you go
Which Bangkok station do Chiang Mai trains leave from?
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. Some tickets are sold from Don Mueang, an intermediate stop on the same line, with a later boarding time. Check the station printed on your ticket; Hua Lamphong is a different station.
Is the cheapest train ticket a sleeper?
No. The lowest fares on this line are Class 3 Fan seats, for example 324 THB on train 51 for November 2026. A berth is a separate sleeper class at a higher fare, so compare the carriage description, not only the train number.
Is there a first-class sleeper to Chiang Mai?
SRT lists first-class air-conditioned sleeper carriages with two-berth rooms. Not every train or date offers one, so search the class for your train. Booking one berth does not by itself reserve the whole room.
How far ahead can I book the train?
SRT's D-Ticket conditions allow online reservations up to 180 days ahead and until three hours before departure. That is a maximum, not a promise that every train and class is on sale that early.
Does the flight fare include checked luggage?
The low fares seen online for November 2026 showed a 7 kg cabin allowance and no checked bag. Add the airline's baggage charge before comparing a flight with the train or bus.
Thailand Transport Hub
Written and maintained from Bangkok. The people behind this site have lived in Thailand for two decades and cross these borders themselves. Routes and visa rules get rechecked whenever something changes, not on a fixed schedule that lets stale information sit for months.
