Getting Around Chiang Mai

There is no metro, and that’s fine

Chiang Mai has no train system and a limited bus network. Getting around is a mix of red trucks, ride-hailing apps, and — for most people who stay more than a few months — a scooter of their own.

The city is small enough that this works. Almost nowhere inside the ring roads is more than twenty minutes from anywhere else outside rush hour.

Songthaew: the red trucks

The songthaew (rod daeng / red truck) is Chiang Mai’s signature transport: a converted pickup with benches in the back that works as a shared taxi. Flag one down, tell the driver where you’re going, and if it fits their direction you hop in the back.

The key points:

• Agree the fare before you get in. Always.
• Shared trips inside the city are usually 30–40 THB per person.
• If you want to go directly, without other passengers, say so — that’s a charter and costs more.
• Press the buzzer or knock on the roof when you want to get off, then pay the driver at the window.

A driver quoting a wildly high price is not scamming you so much as testing you. Decline politely and wait; another truck will come along within minutes.

Ride-hailing

Grab / Bolt / Maxim all operate here, offering both cars and motorbike taxis. Motorbike rides are dramatically cheaper and faster in traffic, and completely normal for short hops.

Practically: install all three. Prices and availability move around, especially in rain when demand spikes and every app surges at once. In heavy rain, a songthaew is often the faster option precisely because the apps are overwhelmed.

The RTC Smart Bus covers a handful of fixed routes including the airport at a low flat fare. Worth knowing about, not worth planning your life around.

Riding your own

Most long-stay residents end up on a scooter. Scooter rental (Honda Click / Scoopy) runs roughly 2,500–4,000 THB a month, less on longer terms, and buying a used one outright is common for anyone staying over a year.

Before you rent:

1. Photograph every existing scratch before you ride away.
2. Never leave your passport as a deposit. Cash or a photocopy only — this is the single most common rental dispute.
3. Check the tyres and brakes yourself. Not all shops maintain their fleet.
4. Confirm the insurance. Basic Por Ror Bor insurance is compulsory and covers very little; ask what else is included.
5. Wear a helmet. Enforcement is patchy, hospital bills are not.

On the legal side, an International Driving Permit (IDP) with a motorcycle category, carried alongside your home licence, is the minimum. If you’re staying long term, get a Thai licence at DLT Mae Hia — it’s a straightforward process, it lasts years, and it unlocks the local rate at national parks as a side benefit.