Getting Around Chaiyaphum
How to Go and How Far

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Let's be straight about it: Chaiyaphum is a province where local public transport is very thin on the ground. The town itself is walkable and you'll find a few hire vehicles around, but once you want to head out to Pa Hin Ngam or Mo Hin Khao, both up in the hills and far from the city, having your own wheels is by far the easiest answer. This article splits into two parts: first, how to get to Chaiyaphum, and second, how far it is to each sight once you're there.

Reaching Chaiyaphum from Bangkok — by intercity bus

Bangkok–Chaiyaphum buses leave from Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal (Chatuchak). It's roughly 340 km and takes around 5.5 to 6 hours depending on stops along the way. Buses run frequently from early morning until late at night. The popular departures are the morning ones around 07:00–10:30, which get you into Chaiyaphum in the afternoon, just in time to head out to the spots near town. If you'd rather not lose daytime hours, there are overnight services around 20:30–23:00 too.

• Ticket price — roughly ฿139–308 each way depending on the seat class. First-class (Por 1) is cheaper, while the 32-seat VIP coaches are roomier and a bit pricier.
• Operators on this route — Chaiyaphum Tour, Air Chaiyaphum, Thienchai Air and Sunbus. Most let you book online and pick your seat, paying via 7-Eleven, credit card or PromptPay.
• Where you arrive — at the Chaiyaphum bus terminal (Bor Khor Sor), which is right in town, so it's easy to grab a hire vehicle or order a ride to your hotel.

Reaching Chaiyaphum from Korat — the Isan shortcut

If you're already in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), or you've flown into a nearby airport and are connecting onward, Korat is the convenient gateway into Chaiyaphum. The Korat–Chaiyaphum distance is about 119 km and takes roughly 2 hours along Highway 201. Minivans and buses run between the two cities all day, leaving from Korat's Bus Terminal 2, with fares in the low hundreds of baht.

The upside of the Korat route is that if you rent a car in Korat (where there's more choice and cheaper starting rates, around ฿650–800 per day) and drive into Chaiyaphum yourself, you'll be far more flexible, since you keep the car for getting around Chaiyaphum afterwards and don't have to sort out wheels twice.

Self-drive car hire — the easiest way around Chaiyaphum

Because Chaiyaphum's sights are up in the hills and spread far apart, having your own car is the real star. In Chaiyaphum town you'll find a few self-drive rental services, starting at around ฿800 per day for a sedan, while an SUV or pickup that handles the mountain roads better will cost more. The documents you'll need are an ID card or passport, plus a Thai or international driving licence.

• Renting in Chaiyaphum town — handy if you arrive by bus, since you can pick up the car straight from the terminal. The catch is fewer cars and models to choose from, so book ahead.
• Renting from Korat — more choice and cheaper starting rates, ideal if you plan to drive yourself the whole way. Pick up at the airport or in Korat city and drive into Chaiyaphum.
• Car with driver — if you'd rather not tackle the hill roads yourself, there are daily car-and-driver services, great for families or groups who just want to sit back and relax.

Distances from town to the main sights

Here are the real distances from Chaiyaphum town to each spot, ordered from nearest to farthest, so you can see which places pair well on the same day, because some sit in completely opposite directions and really shouldn't be bundled together.

As you can see, Pa Hin Ngam is far off in another corner of the province, the opposite direction to Mo Hin Khao and Tat Ton. The route to Pa Hin Ngam takes Highway 201 out of town towards Nong Bua Khok, then connects onto Highway 205 heading for Thep Sathit district before turning onto the park access road. The final stretch is a winding mountain road, so drive with care.

How to plan your days and not lose time on the road

Because Pa Hin Ngam is far away and in the opposite direction from Mo Hin Khao, the sensible approach is to split the days clearly: keep the spots near town (Tat Ton, Mo Hin Khao) for one day, and give Pa Hin Ngam at Thep Sathit a full day of its own. Here's a sample two-day plan that plenty of people actually use.