The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes about 70 minutes. The fastest sleeper, train no. 9, takes 12 hours 35 minutes, and in high season the train sells out first. People book it for the trip itself, and because a night in a berth replaces a night in a hotel.
The trains
Long-distance trains no longer leave from Hua Lamphong. They depart from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, the large new station at Bang Sue, which has its own stop on the MRT Blue Line.
Train no. 9 is the one to book. It has the newest carriages, built in China, and leaves at 18:40, arriving in Chiang Mai at 07:15. Train no. 13 has older carriages and lower fares. It leaves at 20:05 and arrives at 08:45. Train no. 51 leaves at 22:30 and arrives at 11:40. Heading south, no. 10 leaves Chiang Mai at 18:20 and no. 14 at 17:05.
The flat middle of the country passes in the dark, and the hills after Lampang come near the end of the line. Attendants fold the seats into made-up bunks around 9pm. Lower berths are wider, cost 100 baht more and have the window. Second class with air conditioning is the usual choice. First class, in two-berth compartments on trains 9 and 13, sells out fastest; train 51 has single-berth compartments instead.
Fares and the 90-day rule
Station fares on train no. 9 are 938 baht for a second-class upper berth and 1,038 for a lower (about $29 to $32), and 1,446 to 1,646 baht in first class. Train no. 13 is 170 to 200 baht cheaper per berth. Third-party booking sites add their own fees on top.
Book through the State Railway’s own D-Ticket site, dticket.railway.co.th, which works in English and takes foreign cards. Since 30 April 2026, full-route journeys open 90 days ahead instead of 180, and seats are released at 08:30 Thailand time. In high season, from November to February, lower berths on no. 9 can sell out within hours. If your dates are fixed, book on the day sales open.
The flight
Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and Thai VietJet fly the route from Suvarnabhumi. AirAsia, Nok Air and Thai Lion Air fly from Don Mueang, and some of them from Suvarnabhumi as well. The flight takes 70 to 80 minutes. Low-cost one-way fares booked ahead are often 1,000 to 1,500 baht, sometimes under 900, and higher at peak times.
Door to door, the trip takes much longer. Allow 45 to 90 minutes to either Bangkok airport in traffic, about 90 minutes at the airport, the flight, and about ten minutes from Chiang Mai airport to the old city. By our count that is three and a half to four and a half hours of the day. The train uses the night instead, and the flight gives you a full first evening in Chiang Mai.
The bus
Sombat Tour and Nakhonchai Air run the route from Mo Chit bus terminal to Chiang Mai’s Arcade station in about ten hours. Fares run from 529 baht up to 823 for the largest reclining seats. A reclining seat is not a berth, but when the berths are sold and flights are at peak prices, a bus leaving the same evening is the fallback.
Train, flight or bus
| Train no. 9 | Flight | Bus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 12 h 35, overnight | 3.5 to 4.5 h door to door | ~10 h |
| Cost | 938 to 1,646 baht | often 1,000 to 1,500 baht | 529 to 823 baht |
| Books out | Fast in high season | Rarely | Rarely |
| What you get | The journey, a saved hotel night | A full extra day | A seat at short notice |
A common plan is the train one way and a flight the other. Train no. 9 arrives at 07:15, before most hotels will check you in, so plan the first hours around breakfast and somewhere to leave your bags. The Chiang Mai guide covers the city. If your dates are flexible, read the seasons guide first: a March arrival falls in smoke season. With a Thailand eSIM already active, you can book a Grab from the platform.
FAQ
Is the Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train comfortable?
Upper or lower berth?
How far ahead can I book Thai trains?
Is there a daytime train?
Timetables and station fares checked against seat61 and SRT’s D-Ticket rules, September 2026. Airfares are snapshots.
