Public transportation in Chiang Mai

Answered by Wilfried Giessler , Bangkok, Thailand

Since a couple of years they have introduced taxi meters in ChiangMai (CNX).
However when using them they never turn on their meters and their fares turn out to be exorbitantly high, eg much higher than in Bkk. There are some public buslines as well.
Much better - in my opinion - is to use the proven public transport system of songtaeows (shared pick-up taxis). You flag them down anywhere you want to use them. Before getting into them at the back you have to negotiate the price with the driver up front. I very rarely found them trying to cheat.
To give you a few indications: From the airport to downtown it's about 80-100THB, short trips within the city 20-30THB, longer ones 50THB. The cars are colour coded, eg within the city they are dark red, going out of the city blue, white and yellow. The colour coding you easily find out by yourself ar Warorot market, where a lot of them stop of have their base. Even, if you plan to go elephant riding or see the tigers at "Tiger Kingdom", you find public songtaeows with your inquiring mind.

Answered by Dirk van Ostaden , Amphoe San Kamphaeng, Thailand

Tuk Tuk (scooter taxi) - mostly city drives
Songthaew (pick-up bus) - mostly district drives
Line bus - drives in the province and other provinces
Taxi and Airport Taxi - private drives to specified destinations
Excursion Offices in town - for specified excursions
All options are extremely cheap compered with the western standard.

Answered by Fokke van Egmond , Ban Pa Daet, Thailand

A red pick-up / songteaw wil be the cheapest way for transportation. Starting price is 20 bath in the centre till 40 bath outside the centre area. Tuk tuk starts at 50bath up to 150 bath depending on your destination.

Have a lot of fun in Chiang Mai

Fokke van Egmond
Chiang Mai Biking

Answered by Hugo Zimmermann , Sattahip, Thailand

great suggestions from all Localite-fellows...if you cant make your way, evt. you'll need a blind's doggie ;-)