Chiang Mai is in many ways different from any other city we visited in Thailand. And for all the good reasons. One of these reasons is the way you get from the airport to the city center.
Many savy travelers will tell you to ditch the airport taxis in favor of rideshare apps. This ensures that you’re way less likely to get ripped-off by an overeager meter or by a driver demanding an outrageous sum of money. In almost any city we would agree, but in Chiang Mai this is a little different.
In Chiang Mai the best way to get from the airport to the city center is by one of the official taxis. At the airport arrivals they devised a handy system. When you exit arrivals you get a ticket for the next available taxi driver with your destination written on it. On top of that there’s a set-price to get to the city center.
How to get to Chiang Mai city centre from the airport?
Taking the airport taxi is super easy and straightforward and here’s how it works:
- Arrive in Chiang Mai by airplane. As you exit the building there will be taxi attendants waiting for you outside. Normally you would kindly ignore anyone who offers a taxi, but in this case they’re legit.
- You tell the attendant the address of your hotel. They’ll call the next waiting taxi with their walkie-talkie and you’ll be given a paper with the number of your taxi, the address of the hotel and the fare. The fare from Chiang Mai airport to any location downtown is a flat rate of 150 Thai Baht.
- The taxi arrives, you put in your luggage and enjoy the 10 to 15 minute ride.
- Arrive at the hotel, leave the taxi, pay the fare and voilà you’re ready to enjoy Chiang Mai! Don’t forget to go out and find yourself a delicious Khao Soi Chicken Curry, stroll around downtown and enjoy one of the many cafes in Chiang Mai.
For getting around in Chiang Mai we do recommend you download the Grab and/or Bolt app for any further taxi rides you need. This is by far the easiest way to get around the city and it doesn’t cost a lot. Alternatively you can opt to use the red pick-up trucks (songthaews) that sometimes function as a bus service or if you pay enough will bring you (close to) where you want to go.
Be sure to prepare your trip with our Chiang Mai guide on where to stay in this amazing city.
Enjoy your travels! – Laurens & Laura
