Chiang Mai to Pai Travel Guide by Minivan Private Driver or Car

If you’re spending time in Chiang Mai, you might wish to explore the rest of Northern Thailand. One of the most popular places to visit is Pai. There are three main methods of traveling between Chiang Mai and Pai: one is to use a shared minivan, two is renting your own private driver, and three is renting your own vehicle to travel between them.

Shared Minivan from Chiang Mai to Pai

Let’s start with a shared minivan because that’s the most used option to go from Chiang Mai to Pai or Pai to Chiang Mai. The only company that operates a public bus is the Prem Pracha Transport Company. Each van takes 13 passengers and one driver. It costs 150 Thai Baht one way and takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete the journey.

This is the cheapest way to travel between Chiang Mai and Pai. However, there are some problems with this type of transportation. The road between Chiang Mai and Pai is notoriously windy, and the drivers on these types of buses drive extremely fast. There are lots of complaints that they drive too fast and even dangerously.

The road is famous because it has 762 bends. Actually, once you’ve completed the drive, you can go to the tourist office and collect a certificate that says you’ve completed the 762 bends. This, combined with fast-moving drivers, means some people get carsick, and quite a lot of people have to stop because they’re feeling so sick. Make sure you do tell the driver if you feel ill, though, because you don’t want to ruin everyone else’s trip.

There is a short 15 to 30 minute stop halfway where you can stop to get some snacks and a drink as well. I recently did this route both there and back, and on the way there in particular it was pretty intense. The driver was going really fast, overtaking people. I was actually trying to sleep, but that was just impossible with the way he was speeding around the corners.

On the way back, though, it wasn’t so bad, too. It’s kind of the luck of the draw with what kind of driver you get. If you have large luggage with you, they usually strap it to the top of the van, so I’d make sure you don’t have anything too valuable there just in case something slips out. But you are able to transport large luggage.

The van operates on an hourly basis. If you’re leaving from Chiang Mai, the first bus is at 6:30 a.m. and the last one is at 5:30 p.m. If you’re traveling from Pai to Chiang Mai, the first bus is 7:00 a.m. and the last bus is at 5:00 p.m. I would make sure to get there half an hour early, just so you have time to check in and get your stuff strapped in.

In Chiang Mai, the bus station is located at the Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal, and this is about a 20-minute drive from where most people will be staying, which is the Old Town. Make sure to factor this in before arriving. It’s easily accessible by Grab or taxi. In Pai, it’s much simpler. It’s in the Walking Street, which is exactly where most people will be staying.

During peak season, it’s possible that some buses sell out. I was just there over Christmas, and we actually had to wait 4 hours leaving from Pai to Chiang Mai, so it might be a good idea to buy in advance. You can buy tickets online or from the bus stop itself.

Private Drivers and Minibuses to Pai

If you want to avoid the hassle of these minibuses but don’t want to drive yourself, you can rent a private driver for around 3,000 Thai Baht. These drivers will drive at a much safer pace, and you’ll be able to stop at some of the viewpoints to catch some of the mountain views along the way.

If you’re in a larger group, you can also rent a private minibus. These private minibuses have better air conditioning and better facilities, like phone chargers and even karaoke if you want it.

Driving Yourself Between Chiang Mai and Pai

The final option is to drive yourself. Cars can be rented from Chiang Mai for as cheap as 1,000 Thai Baht per day. Scooters can be rented for about 150 Thai Baht per day, but you might need a more powerful scooter than this, so usually they cost around 250 or 300 Thai Baht.

You’ll probably need this to complete the drive because it’s quite hilly and quite steep. One thing to note, though, is that this road is notorious for accidents, especially involving foreign tourists, because of the windiness of the road, the steepness of the hills, and how wild some of the drivers drive. As they’re driving past you, it can be quite dangerous, so please be careful and make sure you wear a helmet.