Chiang Rai and Pai are the two most common trips from Chiang Mai: Chiang Rai is 180-185 km by road to the north-east and Pai about 131 km to the north-west. Both are reached by road. Below are the operators’ timetables and fares as seen on 25 October 2026 for travel on 28 October 2026, plus OSRM road distances and the facts we could check about the Pai road.
All options in one table
| Option | From → to | Fare, 28 October 2026 | Journey | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenbus standard bus (40 seats) | Chiang Mai Arcade (Terminal 3) → Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 | 301 baht | 3 h 40 min-3 h 45 min | 07:00, 08:45, 11:00, 12:45, 13:30, 17:00, 18:15 |
| Greenbus VIP bus (24 seats) | the same | 422 baht | 3 h 20 min | 07:30, 09:30, 14:00, 18:30 |
| Prempracha minivan | Chiang Mai Arcade → Pai | 210 baht | no journey time published | every hour at :30 from 06:30 to 16:30 |
| Prempracha minibus | Chiang Mai Arcade → Pai | 250 baht | no journey time published | 09:00, 13:00, 17:30 |
| Own car or taxi | Arcade → Pai | by agreement | about 2 h 20 min without traffic | on request |
To Chiang Rai by Greenbus
Greenbus’s own page of 9 October 2026 gives the route: 180-185 km, 3-4 hours, along Highway 118, from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 (Arcade) to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, with service classes V-Class and X-Class. Tickets are sold through FairFair, which Greenbus lists as its official online channel; advance booking is up to 30 days ahead. Greenbus gives 053 266 480 as its contact number.
The reference timetable of 15 September 2026 on the same channel lists daily departures from Chiang Mai at 07:00, 07:30, 08:45, 09:30, 11:00, 13:30, 14:00, 17:00, 18:15 and 18:30, plus 06:00 on Mondays and 16:00 on Fridays and Sundays. From Chiang Rai the daily departures are 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 10:00, 12:00, 12:30, 13:30, 16:00, 18:00 and 18:30, plus 10:45 on Mondays and 14:30 on Fridays and Sundays.
The FairFair search for Wednesday 28 October 2026 gave 11 trips from Chiang Mai: the standard bus at 07:00, 08:45, 11:00, 12:45, 13:30, 17:00 and 18:15 for 301 baht, and the 24-seat VIP bus at 07:30, 09:30, 14:00 and 18:30 for 422 baht. The 12:45 trip is not in the 15 September reference, so check your own date: the operator states that timetables and fares change. Optional cancellation (24 baht) and travel insurance (38 baht) are shown separately.
To Pai by minivan
Prempracha Transport runs the scheduled Chiang Mai to Pai service (route 612: Chiang Mai Arcade, Pai, Pang Mapha and Mae Hong Son). On its own booking page for 28 October 2026 there were 14 trips from Chiang Mai to Pai:
- Minivan, 210 baht per seat: 06:30, 07:30, 08:30, 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30
- Minibus, 250 baht per seat: 09:00, 13:00 and 17:30
From Pai to Chiang Mai the same page showed 14 trips on that date: vans at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00 for 210 baht, and minibuses at 09:30, 12:30 and 17:30 for 250 baht. On 25 October the 11:30 minivan on 28 October was already full, and the 09:30 and 10:30 ones had one seat each. The operator states that timetables, fares and stops can change and that you should confirm them with its staff. It publishes no journey time, so we give only our calculation: 131.1 km from Arcade to Pai bus station and about 2 h 20 min without traffic (OSRM), which does not include stops.
The road to Pai: Highway 1095 and its curves
The Pai road is Highway 1095. According to Wikipedia it leaves Highway 107 in Mae Taeng district, Chiang Mai province, and goes on to Mae Hong Son, 245 km from Chiang Mai, and it is “known for having over 2,000 winding curves”. The figure usually quoted for the Chiang Mai to Pai stretch is 762 curves. We found no count by the Department of Highways or another official body for it, so we treat it as a popular local number. The closest published check is a 2012 MGR Online report of a car-press trip that called the Chiang Mai to Pai round trip “more than 1,500 curves”, which fits roughly 750 each way but is a journalist’s estimate, not a survey.
What the numbers mean for you: the road is twisting, so a trip takes longer than the OSRM figure on a map. Minivan and bus seats on the morning departures fill first. Check the departure terminal on your ticket: Prempracha names Chiang Mai Arcade and Pai among its boarding points, and Greenbus uses Arcade Terminal 3.
Is there a train or a flight to Chiang Rai?
Greenbus says there is no direct passenger railway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and that direct scheduled flights are not generally available.
By car
By road from Chiang Mai Arcade it is 181.2 km and about 2 h 51 min without traffic to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, and 131.1 km and about 2 h 20 min to Pai bus station (OSRM, without traffic or stops).
Where to go next
For where to stay and what to see in the city, read Chiang Mai. The north has a smoke season in the dry months: see Chiang Mai smoke season before you book. To reach Chiang Mai in the first place, see Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and for tickets and classes, how to use trains and coaches in Thailand.
FAQ
How long is the bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?
Greenbus gives 3-4 hours over 180-185 km. On the FairFair booking page for 28 October 2026 the standard 40-seat bus is listed at 3 h 40 min to 3 h 45 min and the 24-seat VIP bus at 3 h 20 min.
How much is the Greenbus ticket from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?
For 28 October 2026 the FairFair page showed 301 baht for the standard bus and 422 baht for the VIP bus; optional cancellation (24 baht) and travel insurance (38 baht) were extra. Greenbus says fares depend on the departure, date and class, so check your date.
Where does the Chiang Rai bus leave from?
From Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 (Arcade) for the services Greenbus describes, and it arrives at Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1. The booking confirmation states the boarding point for your service.
Is there a train or a flight from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?
Greenbus says there is no direct passenger railway between the two cities, and that direct scheduled flights are not generally available, so the road is the usual way.
How much is the minivan from Chiang Mai to Pai and how long does it take?
On Prempracha Transport's booking page for 28 October 2026 a minivan seat was 210 baht and a minibus seat 250 baht. The operator publishes no journey time. By road the distance is 131 km and about 2 h 20 min without traffic (OSRM), which does not allow for stops and slow vehicles on the curves.
Does the road to Pai really have 762 curves?
762 is a widely repeated figure, but we found no count by the Department of Highways or another official body. Wikipedia says Highway 1095, which runs from Chiang Mai province to Mae Hong Son, has more than 2,000 curves in total, and a 2012 report in MGR Online on a car-press trip called the Chiang Mai to Pai round trip more than 1,500 curves. Treat 762 as a rough local number.
Should I book the Pai minivan in advance?
On 25 October the 11:30 minivan for 28 October already showed no seats, and several others had 1-3 seats left. Prempracha Transport asks passengers to confirm timetables, fares and stops with its staff, so check before you travel, especially for the morning departures.
Sources
- Greenbus. Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai by Greenbus: route, travel time, services (9 October 2026)
- FairFair (booking channel listed by Greenbus). Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: Greenbus timetable (reference of 15 September 2026)
- FairFair. Search results Chiang Mai → Chiang Rai, 28 October 2026
- Prempracha Transport. Route Chiang Mai-Pai (route 612)
- Prempracha Transport. Stations and boarding points
- Prempracha Transport. Booking: Chiang Mai → Pai, 28 October 2026
- Wikipedia. Highway 1095 (Thailand) (reference, not a primary source)
- MGR Online. A trip along the Chiang Mai to Pai road (14 November 2012, in Thai)
- OpenStreetMap, OSRM route: Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 (Arcade) → Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1
- OpenStreetMap, OSRM route: Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 (Arcade) → Pai bus station
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