Getting Around Chiang Mai
Songthaew, Grab, Rentals & the Doi

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

First, the big picture. Chiang Mai is a spread-out city. The Old City is walkable, but the moment you want to reach Nimman, Chang Khlan, Central, or head out of town to Mae Rim or San Kamphaeng, you'll need wheels. Most people mix several modes in one trip — walk inside the Old City, grab a Grab at night, then charter a songthaew or rent a scooter on the days they leave town.

Songthaew — Chiang Mai's signature ride

The red songthaew (sii lor daeng / shared truck) is a converted red pickup with two bench seats in the back. It works like a cross between a bus and a taxi — no fixed routes, no stops, you just flag it down on the street. The way it works: wave it down, tell the driver where you're going, and if it's heading the same way as the other passengers, they'll take you. You pay cash when you get off (cash only — no QR payment).

• Shared rides in town — short hops around the Old City and the moat run about 30–40 THB/person. Tell the driver your destination before you climb in; a nod means they're going that way.
• A bit further out — say, from the Old City to Central Festival or to the airport, it may climb to 50–80 THB/person. Always agree the price before you get in.
• Chartering the whole truck — by the hour runs around 150 THB/hour, or a full day inside the city starts around 800 THB (the doi not included). You can negotiate based on distance and the number of stops.

Grab / Bolt / InDrive — ride-hailing apps

If you don't want to haggle or guess the route, a ride-hailing app is the most relaxed option. Chiang Mai has Grab, Bolt, and InDrive, all running 24 hours. You see the price before you book, and you can pay by card or cash. They're ideal at night, in the rain, or when you've got a lot of luggage.

• Daytime fares in town — roughly 90–150 THB per ride depending on distance and time of day. Prices spike during rush hour or when it rains.
• Cars and motorbike taxis (GrabBike) — bikes are cheaper and faster when traffic is bad, ideal if you're solo with no luggage.
• Versus the songthaew — for 1–2 people over a medium distance, Grab is usually about the same as chartering a songthaew, with no haggling. But for a group of 4–6, chartering a songthaew is clearly the better deal.

Car / scooter rental — the most freedom

If you want to explore at your own pace, especially out of town to Mae Rim, San Kamphaeng, or up the doi, renting is the most flexible and, over a few days, the cheapest option. A scooter suits anyone who can ride and is comfortable on mountain roads; a car suits families or groups going far and wanting to stay dry when it rains.

• Automatic scooters, 110–125cc — around 150–250 THB/day, with some shops offering cheaper 100cc deals. A consistently well-reviewed shop is Mango Bikes in the Nimman area; they take a deposit of about 1,000 THB and a photocopy of your passport rather than holding the original.
• Cars — from around 800–1,200 THB/day for a small car. Renting through an airport counter or a major brand gives you peace of mind on the insurance side.
• Paperwork — you need a driver's licence, and for a scooter you really should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP). If you're stopped without one you can be fined, and your insurance may not cover you in an accident.

From Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) into town

One nice thing about Chiang Mai is that the airport is very close to the city — only about 5–6 km from the Old City, a normal 10–15 minute drive. There are several options depending on your budget and how much fuss you want.

How to reach the doi — Doi Suthep & Doi Inthanon

The classic first-timer question. You don't need your own car to get up the doi, but each one works differently. Doi Suthep is close to the city with regular songthaews, while Doi Inthanon is further and higher, so you'll need to charter a ride or book a tour.

Doi Suthep (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep) — the easiest and cheapest way is to catch a songthaew at the stand near the foot of the mountain, around Chiang Mai Zoo / the parking lot on the Chiang Mai University side (tell the driver clearly you're going to "Doi Suthep"). A shared ride up runs about 40 THB/person and takes around 20 minutes to the temple, though this line usually waits for about 8–10 passengers to fill up before leaving. Coming down, songthaews wait in front of the temple too.

Doi Inthanon — Thailand's highest peak, about 90 km from the city. There's no regular songthaew all the way to the summit. The popular approach is to charter a songthaew or van as a day tour, or buy an organised tour. Chartering the whole vehicle on a multi-stop route (Mae Klang Waterfall — Khun Klang Royal Project — the twin pagodas — the Hmong market) runs from around 1,900 THB for the round trip in a single day; split between several people it works out well. If you can ride a scooter or drive yourself you can go independently, but the road is winding and it's very cold at the summit, so you'll want to be a confident driver.

• Doi Suthep — close to town, regular songthaews ~40 THB/person, easy to do on your own, good for first-timers.
• Doi Inthanon — far, 90 km, charter a vehicle or day tour from ~1,900 THB/vehicle, park entry fee separate.
• Mon Cham / Mae Rim — closer than Inthanon, charter a songthaew round trip for about 1,000–1,200 THB/vehicle, or rent a scooter and ride it yourself for some fun.

In short — how to pick what suits your trip