Transportation from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. Green Bus VIP-Class experience sharing

Chiang Rai is about 200 kilometers away from Chiang Mai, and the driving time is 3~3.5 hours. To save trouble, many people buy a one-day Tour to Chiang Rai directly from local Travel agencies or online platforms such as KLOOK and KKday, visiting the White Temple, Blue Temple, Black House Museum, and even adding the itinerary of the Long-necked Tribe. When I went to Chiang Mai a few years ago, I also participated in such a one-day tour. This time I wanted to be more leisurely, so I took the Green Bus, which has a good reputation, to and from Chiang Rai and stayed in Chiang Rai for a few nights.

Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai is a very popular bus route. Green Bus has more than a dozen Trips a day, and the driving time is about 3.5 hours. We bought tickets on the official website the day before the bus, and only the last row of seats was left. It is recommended to book tickets as soon as possible after confirming your itinerary, so as not to miss out on the desired flight or choose the desired seat. (Credit card fee: ฿10.7/ticket)




We took a bus with three seats in a row for both trips. There was a toilet at the back of the bus. Because the toilet had two doors, we didn't smell anything strange even though our seats were in the last row. (One-way fare: 3 seats in a row ฿305 / 4 seats in a row ฿196)



Departure: Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai

The bus stop from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai is Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3, which is not far from the ancient city (about 3-4 kilometers). If you use a taxi APP, the fare is about 100 baht.



The Green Bus ticket office is on the left side of the entrance. If you have purchased your ticket online, you do not need to exchange it for a physical ticket. You can get on the bus by simply showing the ticket purchase completion screen.



There are several toilets at the bus station, and the fee is 3 baht per person. I originally thought that the paid toilets would be cleaner, but it turned out that I was overthinking. There are shops at the station where you can buy hot food, snacks, and drinks.




The Green Bus to Chiang Rai is at platform 20/21. We arrived 15 minutes early and were able to board the bus. The staff will help put the large luggage in the luggage space under the bus, but there are no luggage tags.



The bus is not as luxurious as the commercial buses in Korea. It has a personal entertainment system but lacks USB sockets for charging.



The seats are quite comfortable, with thigh rests and foot pads. There are wet wipes, bottled water and a bag of snacks in front of the seats.




The bus departed on time and the road conditions were good. After arriving in Chiang Rai, we first stopped at Chiang Rai Bus Station 2, which is located in the suburbs and near the White Temple, to let some passengers get off before continuing to the final stop, Chiang Rai Bus Station 1.



Chiang Rai Bus Station 1 is located in the city center, next to the Night Bazzar which is open every day.



Return trip: Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai

The three days of leisure passed quickly. When I used the APP to call a taxi for the return trip, the driver who accepted the order abandoned the order. I called a new taxi and waited for another 7-8 minutes. Fortunately, I arrived at the station 5 minutes before the scheduled departure time and got on the car smoothly.



At around five o'clock in the evening, the bus stopped at a gas station. At first we thought it was to let everyone get off the bus to go to the toilet and do some exercise. Unexpectedly, the stop lasted for almost an hour. It turned out that because the Thai royal family was Traveling, traffic control was implemented and we had to wait until it was reopened before we could continue driving.





Because of this incident, we arrived back to Chiang Mai an hour late. This time, since there were only two of us and we didn't have much time to do homework before the trip, we chose to take the bus to and from Chiang Rai. Next time, I will probably find a few more people to go with me, and decide whether to rent a car or hire a driver to charter a car, so that we can arrange more suburban attractions, and the itinerary will be more flexible and free.