How to get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai by train

Bangkok and Chiang Mai are on everyone’s bucket list, competing for the title of best city in Thailand. Many travellers choose to take the train on this route, either the all-day option, where they sit back and soak in the views of the Thai countryside, or on one of the overnight sleeper services, where the train rocks them gently to sleep.

However you decide to get there, this is one Thai railway journey that gets booked up in advance, so read on for all the info on routes, fares and how to buy tickets.

Travelling the other way? Check out our guide for taking the train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

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Route map and details

Bangkok and Chiang Mai are the two main destinations on Thailand’s Northern Line, which is one of the busiest in the country. Capacity is severely limited on the route and plans are in place to extend and improve the line, but it’ll be a few years before passengers see any real benefit.

For now, it means that there are fewer services than you might expect, and those that do run tend to be booked out in advance.

Timetables

There are five trains per day from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Sleeper carriages are available on all trains apart from SP7, which only has second-class air-conditioned seats.

SP9, SP13 and EX51 are the most popular trains and should be booked as far in advance as possible, particularly in peak tourist season and around religious festivals.

The countryside views approximately three hours before Chiang Mai are especially beautiful; as EX51 is the only sleeper service to pass through this section in the daylight, it’s well worth booking tickets for that train.

Average journey time: 12 hours 30 minutes

How to buy tickets

The easiest way to buy train tickets in Thailand is online rather than going to the station. You do pay a very small commission but the ease and convenience makes it worthwhile in our opinion.

Baolau is the best site to use for buying train tickets, they have access to the live Thai Railways booking engine, so you can easily see availability, timetables and prices.

Payment can be made using international credit card and PDF confirmation tickets are sent to your email address within a few minutes. This is the actual ticket you need to board the train, so there’s no need to exchange it at the station before travel. You may prefer to print the pdf out, but it’s also fine to show it on your mobile phone to the conductors and station staff.

Bangkok to Chiang Mai train tickets

How much does it cost?

The Bangkok to Chiang Mai train usually has four different classes to choose from, ranging from a luxurious first class berth for two people, to a hard, uncomfortable third class seat. Most tourists book a second class berth and it’s our recommended way to travel.

Here is a list of which class is available on which train:

¹ Air-conditioned carriages

Prices for each class are shown in the table below, note that some trains have newer carriages so the prices are sometimes slightly higher: