Chiang Mai to Pai
The pearl of Northern Thailand, Pai was once a small and quiet village, which is now a popular tourist destination. Located about 150 km away from Chiang Mai, it’s often visited during the same trip.
Pai is a hippie destination, offering relaxed vibes, pastoral landscapes, cheap guesthouses, spas, and authentic souvenir shops. Just a few km from the town, you can find natural hot springs with a temperature up to 40 °C, and waterfalls.
There are a few options to get from Chiang Mai to Pai: minivans and taxis.
Chiang Mai to Pai by Minivan
- Price: 230 THB
- Transport type: minivan
- Companies: Prem Pracha, Aya Service
- Travel time: 3.5 – 4.5 hours
Prem Pracha is a leading service provider on the route, very popular among tourists and locals. They have comfortable buses and minivans with air conditioning. Each minibus can take up to 14 passengers and 1 driver.
Prem Pracha minivans depart from the Chiang Mai Arcade 2.
The travel time by bus from Chiang Mai to Pai is around 3 hours. The road to Pai is very curvy (yes, there are more than 700 sharp turns on it), so we advise you to take something against motion sickness if you’re sensible. The drive is safe since drivers know these roads like the backs of their hands.
Ticket prices start at 230 THB per seat.
Aya Service minivans are another popular travel option, reaching Pai in 3.5 hours.
Chiang Mai to Pai Minivan Schedule
| Time | Departure Point | Company | Duration | Arrival Time | Destination |
| 6:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 10:50 | Pai |
| 7:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 11:50 | Pai |
| 8:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 12:50 | Pai |
| 9:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 13:50 | Pai |
| 9:30 | AYA Service Chiang Mai | AYA Service | 3h 30m | 13:00 | AYA Service Pai |
| 10:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 14:50 | Pai |
| 10:30 | AYA Service Chiang Mai | AYA Service | 3h 30m | 14:00 | AYA Service Pai |
| 11:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 15:50 | Pai |
| 12:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 16:50 | Pai |
| 12:30 | AYA Service Chiang Mai | AYA Service | 3h 30m | 16:00 | AYA Service Pai |
| 13:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 17:50 | Pai |
| 13:30 | AYA Service Chiang Mai | AYA Service | 3h 30m | 17:00 | AYA Service Pai |
| 14:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 18:50 | Pai |
| 14:30 | AYA Service Chiang Mai | AYA Service | 3h 30m | 18:00 | AYA Service Pai |
| 15:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 19:50 | Pai |
| 16:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 20:50 | Pai |
| 17:30 | Chiang Mai Arcade 2 | Prem Pracha | 4h 20m | 21:50 | Pai |
Chiang Mai to Pai by Taxi
- Price: from 3,244 THB
- Transport type: economy, SUV, minivan
- Companies: Smart En Plus, Glassflower, BangkokTaxi24, Kim Transfers Thailand
- Travel time: 3 – 4 hours
The taxi drive takes about 3-4 hours and costs from 3,244 THB per vehicle.
It is a good choice in case you have motion sickness since you can ask the driver to stop at any moment.
Taxies and minivans are modern, comfortable, and can seat from 3-4 (economy, SUV), to 9 passengers (in Vans).
Companies that provide private taxi services on the route: Smart En Plus, Glassflower, BangkokTaxi24, and Kim Transfers Thailand.
You can book both taxi and bus tickets online at 12go website, which has a selection of timings, and travel options.
Some travelers choose to go by motorbike or scooter, but given the road conditions and sharp roads, we would recommend choosing this only if you’re very experienced in driving on mountainous roads. There are many road incidents happening here, so try to stay safe.
