Short answer
The train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai covers 744 km and takes about 12.5 hours by the best sleeper: Seat61's 2026 timetable shows train 9 leaving Krung Thep Aphiwat at 18:40 and arriving at 07:15. Seat61's table lists a second-class air-conditioned lower berth at 1,038 baht and a first-class berth at up to 2,446 baht, with fares dated 2023, so check before you book. Flights run from both Bangkok airports and are the quicker way if time is short; sleepers can be booked up to six months ahead.
The sleeper takes about 12.5 hours and arrives in the morning
Seat61's Thailand page, dated 2026, lists the trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Chiang Mai, a distance of 744 km. Train 9, which it calls the best, leaves at 18:40 and arrives at 07:15. Train 13 leaves at 20:05 and arrives at 08:45, and train 51 leaves at 22:30 and arrives at 11:40. Train 109 leaves at 14:15 and arrives at 04:05, which is too early for most hotels. Wikivoyage says the journey takes 12 to 15 hours.
The daytime option is train 7, an air-conditioned railcar that leaves at 07:30 and arrives at 17:50, according to Seat61. All long-distance trains now start at Krung Thep Aphiwat, which opened on 19 January 2023, so older timetables that mention Hua Lamphong are out of date. Trains also call at Don Mueang, 15 km on; train 9 leaves there at 18:57, 17 minutes after Krung Thep Aphiwat, which helps if you stay near the airport.
What the sleeper costs, and why to check the figures
Seat61's table of one-way fares, dated 2023, lists a second-class air-conditioned berth on train 9 at 938 baht for an upper and 1,038 baht for a lower, and a first-class two-berth compartment at 1,446 or 1,646 baht, or 2,446 baht for single use. On train 13 the second-class air-conditioned berths are 768 and 838 baht. The daytime railcar, train 7, is 558 baht for a second-class air-conditioned seat.
Wikivoyage gives April 2022 prices for the older sleepers, between 771 and 1,041 baht for a second-class air-conditioned berth, so fares have clearly moved. We could not open the State Railway of Thailand's own fare table, so treat these as a guide and check the price when you book. Wikivoyage adds that the price online is the same as at the ticket office.
How to book, and how far ahead
Seat61 says booking for long journeys such as Bangkok to Chiang Mai opens up to six months ahead, after a change in mid-2024, and that the new Chinese-built sleepers on trains 9 and 10 are the most popular, so book them as far ahead as possible. It adds that booking is essential at peak periods. Wikivoyage says the official State Railway D-Ticket website and app sell e-tickets, that you must book at least three days ahead, and that you can also buy at any station.
Seat61 describes an agency route as well: a booking made through an online agency needs at least three days' notice, adds a 250-baht fee, and may be collected at points in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other stations. We could not verify these services ourselves. Tickets for the sleepers can sell out for popular dates, so if your plans are fixed, book early and keep the confirmation with you.
Flying: quick, and there are two Bangkok airports
Wikivoyage calls Bangkok to Chiang Mai one of the busiest routes in the country and counts 25 to 30 flights a day from Don Mueang and 25 to 30 from Suvarnabhumi. It lists Thai Airways, with four flights daily as of November 2025, Thai AirAsia from both Bangkok airports, Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi, Nok Air and Thai Lion Air from Don Mueang, and Thai VietJet from Suvarnabhumi.
We have not quoted flight prices: Wikivoyage's figures date from 2022, and fares change with the date and the carrier. The airlines' schedules give the exact flying time, which we could not confirm from an official page. The point of flying is speed and a late departure; the cost is the transfers at both ends, so compare door to door, not airport to airport. If you land at Don Mueang first, our Don Mueang to city guide shows how to leave it.
Getting from the station or the airport to your hotel in Chiang Mai
Wikivoyage places Chiang Mai railway station about 3 km east of the city centre, with songthaews and tuk-tuks waiting for each train. The airport is 3 km south-west of the centre, 10 to 15 minutes by car. The airport's own pages list a shuttle bus at 40 baht on routes A1 and A2 and 60 baht on A3, a city bus at 30 baht a trip on the R3 loops past the old city, and metered taxis with 50 baht added for the driver.
Wikivoyage says registered airport taxis charge a flat 150 baht for up to five passengers, but the airport's page lists a flat-rate counter without a figure, so confirm the price at the counter. Both ends are close to the old city, so the last leg is short. A sleeper that arrives at 07:15 or 08:45 gets you to town before most hotels hold a room, so ask about luggage storage or early check-in. Our Chiang Mai airport to old city guide covers the airport side.
Which to choose
Take the sleeper if you have a spare night to save on a hotel and enjoy the journey; Seat61 argues the sleeper is effectively faster than flying, less stressful and saves a hotel bill, and that the last part of the route into the mountains has good scenery. Take a flight if you have only a few days, if the sleepers are sold out for your date, or if you want a daytime departure.
A mixed plan works well: sleeper north, flight back, or the other way round, depending on your return date. If you are weighing the two cities themselves, our Bangkok or Chiang Mai guide compares them, and our best time to visit Chiang Mai guide helps you pick the month. Whichever you choose, leave your first morning free.
Plan our elephant sanctuary and Doi Inthanon day for your second morning
Our Elephant Sanctuary and Doi Inthanon day, from $40 per person, starts with pickup from your hotel in Chiang Mai in the morning and lasts 10 to 12 hours. There is no riding: you feed the elephants, walk with them and bathe them in the river, have lunch at the sanctuary and drive up Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest mountain at 2,565 metres, to the King and Queen pagodas and a waterfall hike.
Do not book it for the morning your sleeper arrives. After a night on a train you want a shower and a rest, and an early pickup does not fit a 07:15 or 08:45 arrival. The Doi Inthanon national park fee, 300 baht per adult and 150 per child, is paid on the day unless your quote says otherwise. Send us your dates and your hotel and we confirm the pickup time before you pay.
Practical checklist
- Pick your train by arrival time, not departure: train 9 arrives at 07:15, train 13 at 08:45, train 51 at 11:40.
- Check the current fare and availability on the State Railway's D-Ticket site or at a station before you plan around the 2023 figures.
- Book the popular sleepers as far ahead as the six-month window allows for peak dates.
- If you fly, compare both Bangkok airports and the transfer cost at each end.
- Ask your hotel about luggage storage or early check-in for a morning arrival.
- Book our elephant and Doi Inthanon day for your second morning, not the day you arrive.
Questions and answers
How long is the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai?
Seat61's timetable shows the best sleeper, train 9, leaving at 18:40 and arriving at 07:15, about 12.5 hours, over 744 km. Wikivoyage says the journey takes 12 to 15 hours. The daytime railcar takes about 10 hours 20 minutes.
How much is the sleeper train to Chiang Mai?
Seat61's 2023 table lists second-class air-conditioned berths at 768 to 1,038 baht and first-class berths at 1,446 to 2,446 baht. Fares have changed since, so confirm the price when you book.
How far ahead can you book the Chiang Mai train?
Seat61 says booking for journeys like Bangkok to Chiang Mai opens up to six months ahead, and that popular sleepers should be booked as early as possible. Wikivoyage says online booking needs at least three days.
Which Bangkok station does the Chiang Mai train leave from?
Seat61 says all long-distance trains start at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, which opened on 19 January 2023. They also call at Don Mueang, about 17 minutes later.
How many flights are there from Bangkok to Chiang Mai?
Wikivoyage counts 25 to 30 flights a day from Don Mueang and 25 to 30 from Suvarnabhumi, with carriers including Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai VietJet.