Chiang Rai Bus Terminal

The Chiang Rai bus terminal is where travellers can book tickets and board buses headed for other parts of Thailand.

There are two main bus stations here; the newest one is terminal 2; located south of the main Chiang Rai city centre. The other and much older terminal is located in the city centre, known as terminal 1.

Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 & 2 Address, Timetable, Ticket Fares, Booking

The bus stations in terminal 1 follow the grid code GG184, while bus station 2 follows grid code HR174. The route followed by the grid code can be seen in transport maps. Buses departing from terminal 2 are usually those that are bound for longer distances; but many, if not all buses, will drop off passengers at both stations. The light blue songthaew trucks travel between both stations as long as they have enough passengers on board.

The new bus terminal, which was opened on April 2009, is the primary terminal for most inter-provincial routes in Thailand. They also service first class and VIP buses, with only a few second-class bus lines. The most popular bus lines servicing bus terminal 2 include Green Bus, Sombat Tour, Nakhonchai Airlines, and Nakhonchai Tour.

Getting the information you need here is very easy since the bus companies post clear signs and schedules. The old bus terminal is where buses arriving from Chiang Rai stop. This is where passengers can take a bus headed for Phayao and Mae Sai.

If you need to get from one terminal to another, a songthaew connects them both. It only costs around 15 baht per person, and the journey takes 15 minutes between them. Travelling on any bus at either bus terminals is pretty straightforward. Just board the bus and then give your payment to the ticket collector after confirming with them where you want to go.