Chiang Mai First-Time Guide: Train, Smoke Season, Parks
Take the overnight train from Bangkok, which leaves at 18:40 and reaches Chiang Mai at 07:15, and avoid the smoke season from January to May. Doi Inthanon costs a foreign adult THB 300, and visa extensions are handled at 71 Moo 3 on Airport Road.
On this page
Chiang Mai is easiest by overnight train, and easiest to enjoy outside the smoke season. This page covers the first things you need, and for hotels, cafes and food we point you to our sister guide at chiangmaijao.com (opens in a new tab).
Getting there by train
If you want to sleep your way north, take train 9 from Krung Thep Aphiwat at 18:40, which is listed at Chiang Mai at 07:15. Trains 13 and 51 also run overnight, and train 7 is the day option. On one November departure train 9 was the dearest sleeper and train 109 the cheapest.
Book on the SRT e-ticket site: register first, choose the northern line, pick a sleeper or seat car, and check the fare before you pay. The full breakdown is in the Bangkok to Chiang Mai train guide.
From the airport into town
The shuttle vans leave from the international terminal, gate 12. For the Old City, take line A1 for THB 40 via Nimmanhaemin Road and Huay Kaew Road. If your hotel is near the Night Bazaar, line A2 is also THB 40.
Park fees
A foreign adult pays THB 300 at Doi Inthanon and THB 100 at Doi Suthep-Pui. A car adds THB 30 and a motorbike THB 20. A child here means anyone aged 3 to 14 or no taller than 140 cm. Our Doi Inthanon park fees guide has the detail.
If you only want the temple on Doi Suthep, there is no entrance fee for Wat Doi Suthep and Wat Pha Lat by the main road.
Smoke season
Plan around January to May. The worst readings come at the end of March and in April, and central Chiang Mai stayed at red level for 4 days running in one recent year. Thai law sets the 24-hour PM2.5 limit at 37.5 µg/m³, and you can follow readings on Air4Thai. We recommend booking your trip for the rainy or cool months instead.
Day trips
Chiang Rai is 180 to 185 km away, and Greenbus takes 3 to 4 hours from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3. The Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai guide covers the route.
Extending your stay
Chiang Mai Immigration is at 71 Moo 3, Sanam Bin (Airport) Road, Suthep, and its telephone is 053 201 755. A tourist extension costs THB 1,900 (as of 2019). A second service point at Central Festival Chiangmai is open 09:00 to 17:00. The visa exemption guide and the 90-day report guide have the full rules.
If something goes wrong
Call 1669 for a medical emergency. More numbers are in Thailand emergency numbers and the tourist police guide.
Photos (4)
- Pheeraphat Kungsadanrat
- Winai Sansuwan
- Huang Larry (黄志正)
- Saadat Shahriar
Not confirmed: Train fares are the booking system's figures for one November departure, so check your own date. Flight, red-songthaew, taxi and Grab prices change daily, so check the app before you ride.
Common questions
How long is the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai?
The overnight train 9 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 18:40 and is listed at Chiang Mai at 07:15 the next morning. Train 7 is the day option, leaving at 07:30 and listed at 17:50.
How much is the sleeper train to Chiang Mai?
On one November departure a 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper berth on train 9 cost THB 938 upper or THB 1,038 lower. Train 109 was cheaper, at THB 688 or THB 758.
How do I get from Chiang Mai Airport to the Old City?
Airport shuttle line A1 runs via Nimmanhaemin Road and Huay Kaew Road to the Old City for THB 40. It leaves from the international terminal, gate 12.
When is the burning season in Chiang Mai?
The season is January to May. Burning was banned in all areas until 31 May in 2026.
How much does Doi Inthanon cost for foreigners?
A foreign adult pays THB 300 and a foreign child THB 150. A car adds THB 30 and a motorcycle THB 20.
Where do I extend my stay in Chiang Mai?
The Chiang Mai Immigration office is at 71 Moo 3, Sanam Bin (Airport) Road, Suthep. A tourist extension of stay costs THB 1,900.
Read next
Sources and reader comments
Official legal texts (Gazette, government portals):
- State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Train Tracking System: Time Table Northern Line, departures (opens in a new tab)
- Chiang Mai Provincial PR Office, Public Relations Department (chiangmai.prd.go.th) news of 29 Apr 2026: air quality overview and burning ban reminder (opens in a new tab)
- Chiang Mai Provincial PR Office (chiangmai.prd.go.th) news of 25 Feb 2026: Chiang Dao District publicises fire/PM2.5 measures (opens in a new tab)
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP): new national park fee rates from 7 June 2022 (opens in a new tab)
- Chiang Mai Immigration page O4: contact information (modified 17 Feb 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Show 11 more sources
- State Railway of Thailand e-ticket service (DTicket): help centre, how to book a ticket (Thai) (opens in a new tab)
- SRT D-Ticket booking system: coaches and fares per train, November 2026 departures (opens in a new tab)
- Airports of Thailand - Chiang Mai International Airport: airport guide, ways to the airport (Thai text on the English page) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau Public Handbook 2.4: extension of stay, tourism purpose (hosted on chiangmai.immigration.go.th O8 page; published 8 Nov 2019) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol 138 special 301 ง, 9 Dec 2021: DNP regulation on service charges in national parks B.E. 2564 (DNP-hosted copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Environmental and Pollution Control Office 1 (Chiang Mai), Pollution Control Department (epo01.pcd.go.th) - announcement 6/2569 on air quality exceeding the standard in the upper North, 1 Apr 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette Vol. 139 Special Part 163 Ngor, 8 Jul 2022, pp. 21-22: National Environment Board announcement on the PM2.5 ambient air standard (signed 23 Jun 2022). The ratchakitcha.soc.go.th URL returned HTTP 403 to curl; text read from the Wayback copy of that exact PDF. (opens in a new tab)
- Chiang Mai Immigration contact directory (Google Sites, linked from the office's English contact page): Central Festival Chiangmai branch and Services for Foreigner Section (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute for Emergency Medicine (niems.go.th), home page, Wayback snapshot of 2 Apr 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Company and press pages (not official sources):
Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.
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