Bangkok to Chiang Mai: Sleeper Train, Bus or Flight?

What Is the Best Way From Bangkok to Chiang Mai?

Take the overnight sleeper train if you have the time, and fly if you do not. That is our short answer for getting from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The sleeper turns a 12.5 hour journey into a night's sleep, and it saves you a hotel bill. The flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes and suits anyone with a tight trip. The bus is the cheapest option and the least comfortable, so we only suggest it when the trains are full.

Here is how the three compare on the numbers we checked in October 2026:

• Sleeper train (Train 9): about 12.5 hours, about 940 to 1,040 baht for a 2nd class berth
• Flight: about 1 hour 10 minutes in the air, from 1,104 baht on AirAsia from Don Mueang
• Bus: 9.5 to 11.75 hours, roughly 650 to 1,050 baht

Fares move with the date, so treat these as a guide and check the live price before you book.

Which Chiang Mai Sleeper Train Should You Book?

Book Special Express 9. It leaves at 18:40 and arrives in Chiang Mai at 07:15, which is the best timing of the four overnight trains. It also runs the newer air-conditioned carriages, with a dining car and power sockets in the cabins.

All four overnight trains leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, the big new station that used to be called Bang Sue Grand. The SRT Red Line commuter trains in the photo above also run from there. The old Hua Lamphong station is not where you start.

The four overnight options:

• Rapid 109: leaves 14:15, arrives about 04:00. The cheapest sleeper, from about 690 baht upper, but it drops you in Chiang Mai in the middle of the night.
• Special Express 9: leaves 18:40, arrives 07:15. The newest carriages and the one most visitors want.
• Special Express 13: leaves 20:05, arrives 08:45. Older carriages, 2nd class from 771 baht upper.
• Express 51: leaves 22:30, arrives 11:40. Cheaper again, from about 731 baht upper, but you lose most of the next morning on the train.

There is also a daytime seats-only Special Express (train 7) that takes about 11 hours, leaving around 09:05. Sources disagree on its departure time and fare, so confirm it on D-Ticket before you plan around it.

Upper or Lower Berth, 1st or 2nd Class?

Pay the extra for a lower berth. On Train 9 the lower berth costs about 100 baht more, and for that you get a wider bed and a window. The upper berth has no window and sits closer to the air-conditioning and the cabin light, which stays on.

Train 9 fares in October 2026, rounded because sources differ by a few baht:

• 2nd class sleeper: about 940 baht upper, 1,040 baht lower
• 1st class: about 1,450 baht upper, 1,650 baht lower
• Whole 1st class cabin for two: about 2,450 baht

Our decision: 2nd class lower berths are the best value on the train. A couple who wants privacy should book the whole 1st class cabin. Travelling alone as a woman, there is a women-only 2nd class carriage on Train 9, from 938 baht.

The dining car runs 05:30 to 22:00 and serves rice sets for about 190 baht. Eat before you board if you want more choice, and bring water.

How Do You Book the Train Online?

Use the State Railway of Thailand's D-Ticket site at dticket.railway.co.th. Register with an email address, choose your train and berth, and pay by card. You then show the emailed PDF or the ticket in the app on your phone. SRT also sells at stations and through its hotline, 1690.

Three things to know before you book:

1. Check the web address. SRT lists its own site, its app, stations and hotline 1690 as official channels. Check the domain before you enter passport or card details. 2. Book early for December to March. First class on Train 9 sells out within minutes of going on sale, and 2nd class lower berths go fast in the cool season. 3. Use the waiting list if it is full. Verified members can join a queue for a sold-out train. If a seat comes free, SRT emails a booking code, and you have three hours to pay.

Resellers such as 12Go and Baolau sell the same trains in English. They are easier to use, but expect to pay a service fee on top of the SRT fare.

When Should You Fly Instead?

Fly when you have fewer than two weeks in Thailand, or when the sleeper is sold out. Around 50 flights a day run between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, from about 05:25 to 22:35, and the flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Flights leave from both Bangkok airports. Thai AirAsia flies from Don Mueang, and its fares started at 1,104 baht when we checked on 21 October 2026, and its fare calendar for late October to early November ran from 1,135 to 2,584 baht one way. Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, Vietjet, Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways also fly the route.

The real downside is the time at each end. Don Mueang is about 25 km north of the centre, and a taxi can take over 90 minutes at rush hour. The SRT Red Line is the way round that. It runs from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Don Mueang in about 17 to 20 minutes. If you are staying on the MRT Blue Line, change at Krung Thep Aphiwat for the Red Line and skip the traffic. Our guide to taxi and Grab in Bangkok covers the road option, and if you have an early flight, look at our hotels near Don Mueang airport.

Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Nok Air use both Don Mueang terminals depending on the day, so check yours on your booking.

Is the Bus Worth It?

Only on a tight budget or when the trains are full. The bus is cheaper than a sleeper berth on some routes, but you sit upright for 9.5 to 11.75 hours.

Long-distance buses leave the Mo Chit Northern Bus Terminal, near BTS Mo Chit and Chatuchak Weekend Market. Up to 39 buses a day appear on listings, with day departures from 06:00 and night buses from around 18:30 to 20:00. Transport Co, Nakhonchai Air, Bangkok Busline and Sombat Tour are among the operators. Reseller fares ran from 661 to 1,028 baht in October 2026, and VIP coaches start from about 800 baht.

Buses arrive at Chiang Mai Arcade (Terminal 2) or Terminal 3. If you go by bus, pick a VIP coach on a night service. It costs little more than the cheapest fares and you sleep part of the way.

How Do You Get to Krung Thep Aphiwat?

Take the MRT Blue Line, which has its station below the terminal, or the SRT Red Line from the Don Mueang side. A taxi works too, but leave plenty of time. The evening rush in Bangkok runs from about 16:00 to 20:00, and that is when Train 9 leaves.

Our guide on how to get around Bangkok without getting stuck shows how the MRT and BTS lines connect, and our Airport Rail Link guide covers the link from Suvarnabhumi if you are heading north on the day you land.

Our Pick for First-Timers

Book a 2nd class lower berth on Special Express 9 as soon as your date opens on D-Ticket. You leave Bangkok after dinner, sleep, and arrive in Chiang Mai at 07:15 with a full day ahead. If Train 9 is full, try Train 13, then the waiting list, then fly from Don Mueang.

Carry some cash in small notes for the journey. Our guide to ATM fees and money exchange in Bangkok explains how to get it without big fees.

Sleeper train or a one-hour flight: which would you pick for the trip north?