Thailand›From Chiang Mai›Pai
Chiang Mai to Pai by bus or road
About 135 km. The private car is fastest at 3 h; the bus is cheapest, from ₹620 per person.
Pai to Chiang MaiFastest
Private car
Private car, per vehicle
3 h door to door
Cheapest
Bus
Prempracha minivan from Arcade bus station
from ₹620 per person
Best value
Bus
Prempracha minivan from Arcade bus station
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus | Prempracha minivan from Arcade bus station | 3.5 h | ₹620–₹1,010per person | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
| Private car | Private car, per vehicle | 3 h | ₹5,060–₹8,430per car (up to 4) | Daily | 12Go ↗ |
- Bus, Prempracha minivan from Arcade bus station: Hourly 06:30-17:30. Route 1095 has 762 bends: sit in front, eat light, take a motion-sickness tablet.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out; change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Bus · Prempracha minivan from Arcade bus station | ₹1,240–₹2,020 | ₹2,480–₹4,040 |
| Private car · Private car, per vehicle | ₹5,060–₹8,430 | ₹5,060–₹8,430 |
Once you’re in Pai
- Best time: November – February
- Typical stay: 3 days
- November: Good month: November is at the start of the recommended season (November – February).
Related
Plan Chiang Mai and Pai
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.