Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
138B, 4hr,
hourly;
minivan 150B,
3hr, hourly
Kan Air: 1900B, 1½hr,
3 weekly
Pai
125-249B, 3hr,
8 daily
Phayao
151-302B, 4hr,
10 daily
Phrae
239-308B,
5-6hr, 6 daily
Sukhothai
90B, 4hr, 6
daily
Tha Ton
444-666B,
12hr, 2 daily
Udon Thani
Nok Air: 2500B 1½hr daily
TRAIN
Chiang Mai's
train station
(Th Charoen Muang)
is about 2.5km east of the old city. The train sta-
tion has an ATM, a left-luggage room (20B per piece) and an advance-booking counter at
the regular ticket window. For information on schedules and fares contact the
State Railway
of Thailand
( free hotline 1690;
www.railway.co.th
)
or grab a timetable from the station. Local
transport to the train station from the old city should cost 40B to 60B.
All Chiang Mai-bound trains originate from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station. There
are four different types of trains (rapid, express, sprinter and special express) with differ-
ent classes of cars. Sleeping berths (fan and air-con) and seats (2nd and 3rd class, air-con
and fan) are available on most trains, except Sprinters, which don't have sleeper cars.
Sleeping berths are increasingly hard to reserve without booking well in advance.
Though the overnight journey between Bangkok and Chiang Mai is a classic Thailand
experience, train service has been suffering in the last several years with frequent delays
and derailments. In 2013, there were 13 derailments along a section of track between Ut-
taradit and Chiang Mai. As of 13 September, SRT closed this portion of the line for re-
pairs. Repairs have met with delays and it was unclear when the line would be fully opera-
tional. In the meantime, SRT has arranged bus transport to cover the closed portion.
Since 1992, passenger traffic on Thailand's national rail system has fallen by 40%, ac-
cording to an article in the
Bangkok Post
, and maintenance of the tracks has suffered due
to the system's accumulated financial losses. A total of 114 derailments occurred in 2013
throughout the rail system, and the national government has since promised a 1.12 trillion
baht package for rail upgrades. Part of the infrastructure investment includes plans for a
