Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chiang Mai residents who don't have their own wheels rely on the ubiquitous
rót daang
(literally 'red truck'),
sŏrng·tăaou
) or túk-túk.
Rót daang
are shared taxis: you can flag them down, tell them your destination and if
they are going that way they'll nod (ever so slightly). Along the way they might pick up
other passengers if the stops are en route or close by. Short trips should cost 20B per per-
son (eg around the old city) and longer trips from 40B per person (eg from the old city to
Th Nimmanhaemin), and more depending on the distance and your negotiation skills. If
you travel from the riverside area to Th Nimmahaemin you'll probably have to pay
around 40B. By and large you shouldn't have a problem with
rót daang
drivers being too
greedy about fares. Most quote honest prices and it seems to be something of a tradition
for the drivers to scoot around town in the evenings and on weekends with their wives in
the front seat for company. If a
rót daang
is parked alongside the road, the driver prefers
to charter the vehicle for trips to attractions, such as Doi Suthep, or to tourist attractions
that pay a commission (animal shows, San Kamphaeng etc) instead of running a shared
taxi route.
Túk-túk work only on a charter basis and are more expensive than
rót daang
. Rates
start at 60B to 80B for most trips and creep up to 100B at night when people are returning
home from the bars. The benefit of túk-túk is that it takes you directly to your destination
and the driver usually speaks passable English. The drawback is that the drivers can be a
little more aggressive about fares and prefer to steer their customers to attractions that pay
commissions. Regardless, this is the best option for trips to/from the bus station, train sta-
tion and airport when you're burdened with baggage and don't know your way around.
Chiang Mai still has a few
săhm·lór
(pedicabs), typically parked at Talat Warorot.
Săhm·lór
cost around 20B to 30B for short trips near the market.
TAXI
It is very rare to see a metered taxi to flag down in Chiang Mai. Call
Taxi Meter
( 0 5326
2878;
www.taxichiangmai.com
)
for a pick-up if you want one - most fares within greater Chiang
Mai are no more than 150B. You can also organise tours in and around the city.
