The best way of getting around Chiang Mai's Old City is on foot or by bicycle.
For anywhere else join the locals and hop on a songtaew shared taxi (usually a red pickup truck), or take a tuk-tuk.
Alternatively, you may find it easier to have your own wheels – a choice of car, motorcycle and bicycle hire is available in Chiang Mai.
We answer the most commonly asked questions (FAQs) about how to get around Chiang Mai.
While driving around Chiang Mai is not for the faint-hearted – cars, motorbikes, bicycles, rickshaws, street vendors and pedestrians all jostle for space on the road – hiring your own set of wheels is easy and a cost effective way to explore beyond the city centre.
Car hire: Hire cars are available at the airport and from agencies around Tha Phae Gate, including Avis (www.avis.com), Budget (www.budget.co.th), Thai Rent a Car (https://thairentacar.com) and North Wheels (www.northwheels.com) – the latter offers hotel pick-up and delivery, 24-hour emergency road service and comprehensive insurance.
Motorbikes and scooters are also available for hire from local shops, hotels and guest houses in the Old City and this is an extremely popular option in Chiang Mai.
You can hire everything from 100cc scooters (from THB150 per day) to larger Honda Dream bikes (from THB350) as well as road and off-road bikes up to 650cc (THB700 to THB2000).
Smaller bikes are fine for exploring the city but if you plan a trip along any of the mountain roads around Chiang Mai, choose a bike with an engine size of 200cc or more.
To hire a car or motorbike, overseas visitors are required to have an international driver's licence, however most rental companies accept national licences. International agencies accept credit card details as security, while small local agencies often require either a cash deposit, usually THB5000 to THB10,000, or to hold on to your passport.
Be sure to hire only from a company that offers full insurance (liability) coverage and breakdown cover, with the level of cover clearly spelt out in the contract. Check the terms so you're clear on what is and isn't included.
By law, you must wear a helmet when riding a scooter or motorbike. You should also carry photo ID and your driver's licence. Police frequently set up checkpoints and if you can't present a licence, you'll be fined.
Buses: Apart from the shuttle bus that runs between the city and airport (BHT40 per person), there isn’t a bus network in Chiang Mai (only tuk-tuks and songthaews).
Taxi: Metered taxis in Chiang Mai are generally painted yellow and blue. These taxis do not cruise the streets – they wait for custom at the airport, railway station, bus station, shopping malls and various hotels.
Several taxi companies, including Taxi Chiang Mai (www.taxikingdom.com) and CnxTaxi Taxi Chiang Mai (www.cnxtaxichiangmai.com) offer a 24-hour pick-up and transfer service in Chiang Mai. You can pre-book these by phone.
For quick and inexpensive trips use a songthaew (shared taxi). This is how the locals get around town and these red pick-up trucks, known locally as rod daeng, are the most common mode of transportation in Chiang Mai.
Songthaews usually charge a fixed price unless you’re travelling to the edge of town. You can get to just about anywhere in the city for THB30. You can flag one down in the street, and simply tell the driver where you’re going.
Songthaews are often available to hire out for day trips into the countryside.
The alternative to a songthaew is a tuk-tuk. Tuk-tuks are generally more expensive than a songthaew, but they offer a direct service and most drivers speak English.
When getting into a tuk-tuk, be sure to bargain and confirm the fare before setting off. You can expect to pay from TBH60 for a short trip up to TBH150 for a longer distance. Tip: write down the agreed price, so there is no argument once you arrive at your destination.
A handful of samlors (tricycle rickshaws) can usually be found around Warorot Market by the river and are available for taking a spin around the Old City.
While Uber is no longer available in Thailand, you can still use Grab – Southeast Asia’s own version of Uber and works pretty much the same way. Grab gives you a choice of a private car (GrabCar), a regular taxi (GrabTaxi) or a Songthaew (Grab RodDaeng).
Note: With GrabTaxi, there is a small booking fee on top of the regular metered taxi fare.
Bicycle: Cycling is a good way to get around Chiang Mai. Bicycles are available from several agencies as well as at hotels and guest houses.
Good-quality foreign-made road bikes can be rented from THB100 to THB400 per day, and mountain bikes from THB250 to THB1000 from Chiang Mai Mountain Biking (mountainbikethailand.com) and Spice Roads (www.spiceroads.com).
Chiang Mai Mountain Biking and Spice Roads also offer guided bike tours to Doi Suthep-Pui National Park and further afield, including the popular ascent to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
A wide choice of cycling tours from half-day trips around Chiang Mai city to serious mountain-biking trails in the surrounding countryside are available and can be booked online.
Latest update: How to get around Chiang Mai: 2 September, 2025
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