Bus times from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai

By public bus it takes 3 hours 30 minutes to travel 183 km from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. There are no rail or air connections between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai so bus or taxi are the only public transport options available.

Bus Timetable from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai

• Click on the ‘Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai’ link in the timetable below for more information and to buy tickets.

Bus Station in Chiang Rai

Bus services to Chiang Mai depart from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1.

Arrival in Chiang Mai

Bus services from Chiang Rai terminate at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3.

About Wat Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai

Wat Doi Suthep is Buddhist temple located 23.9 km from Chiang Mai’s old town. You can travel cheaply and easily from Chiang Mai to Wat Doi Suthep by taking a red coloured songthaew (shared taxi) from the taxi station near the Chang Phueak Gate on the northern side of Chiang Mai’s old town. Wat Doi Suthep is open daily from 06:00 to 18:00 and the entrance fee is 30 THB for foreigners.

Wat Doi Suthep is located at an altitude of 1,050 metres above sea level. From the temple there are fantastic views over Chiang Mai city and the surrounding countryside. The temple itself is believed to have been founded in 1383 with a single stupa and has grown over the centuries to become one of the most impressive temples in the region. The main features of the temple are the long staircase with Naga balustrades and the main chedi in the inner compound of the temple which is 24 metres tall and covered in gold plating. Thai Buddhists believe that an important relic, part of the shoulder bone of the Lord Buddha, is enshrined in the octagonal base of the main chedi giving the temple a special significance. The staircase is also impressive with a total of 306 steps, which you can bypass by paying a 50 THB to go up to the temple in a special funicular railway line installed to the side of the step staircase.