Quick Options Ranked by Reliability
| Mode | Time | Cost | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grab Taxi | 15 min | 200–250 THB | AC, door-to-door |
| Meter Taxi | 15 min | 200–250 THB | AC, haggle likely |
| Songthaew | 20–30 min | 15 THB | Open air, crowded |
You walk out of Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 into Chiang Rai and see three options fighting for attention. Grab drivers wave phones, meter taxis honk, blue songthaews idle with engines rattling. Pick based on your bags and patience level.
Grab Taxi: Fastest If You’re Tired
Open the app before you hit the exit. Car arrives in five minutes most days. Driver calls if he can’t find you near the 7-Eleven by the main gate. AC blasts cold even in April heat. Seats are basic fabric, sometimes stained but functional. You’re in Chiang Rai city center before your phone finishes downloading a podcast.
Traffic jams happen near the Clock Tower intersection around 5pm. Driver takes backroads through residential sois if you ask nicely. Luggage fits fine unless you’re hauling surfboards. Two big backpacks and a daypack, no problem. Three people with rollers gets tight.
Meter Taxis: Haggle or Walk
Drivers line up outside the terminal’s right exit. First guy says 300 THB with a big smile. You say 200. He shakes his head. You walk toward the next taxi. He yells 250. Done. This dance happens every single time unless you look Thai.
AC works but smells like cigarettes mixed with that fake jasmine air freshener. Seats are stiff vinyl, cracked in spots. Drivers know shortcuts through the San Sai area but won’t use them unless traffic looks bad. Some speak decent English, most don’t. Point at your phone map if confused.
Songthaew: Cheap But Slow
Blue trucks with wooden benches park near the songthaew area outside the main terminal building. You pay 15 THB onboard after you sit. Driver waits until every bench fills before moving. Could be five minutes, could be twenty.
No AC means wind and dust. April heat makes the metal benches burn through your shorts. You’re squished between locals with shopping bags and kids. Luggage space is a joke. One small backpack fits under your seat. Anything bigger and you hold it on your lap while bumping down potholed roads.
Stops at 5pm sharp. Don’t show up at 5:15pm expecting a ride. Driver goes home. If you’re coming from Chiang Mai Airport to Old City and transferring here late, songthaews won’t save you.
Cheapest vs Fastest vs Most Reliable
Songthaew wins cheapest at 15 THB but you’re gambling on space and timing. Grab wins fastest and most reliable if you don’t mind paying 200–250 THB. Meter taxis sit in the middle, same price as Grab but you haggle first.
Families with kids pick Grab every time. Luggage space, AC, no waiting for randoms to fill benches. Solo backpackers trying to stretch baht take songthaews during daytime. Business travelers grabbing a quick ride after meetings use meter taxis because they’re standing right there.
Booking & Timing Reality
Grab needs the app installed and a Thai SIM or working data. Download before you land. Meter taxis take cash only, no cards. Songthaews take cash, exact change helps but drivers usually have small bills.
Morning rush at 8am means Grab surge pricing and meter taxis fill fast. Everyone’s heading to offices near the city center. Afternoon at 2pm is dead quiet, easiest time to grab any ride. Evening at 6pm gets messy again with locals finishing work.
If you’re doing the Old City to Doi Inthanon route before this, you’ll arrive at Terminal 2 exhausted. Just take the first Grab. Haggling after a mountain trip sucks. Rain season in September makes songthaews miserable, you’re soaked in two minutes. Stick to covered taxis.
Check live availability for other Chiang Mai routes on 12Go if you’re chaining trips. Comparing times beats guessing at the terminal. Booking private transfers through Kiwitaxi works if you’re traveling with family and want fixed pricing without app hassles.
What Actually Happens at Terminal 2
You step outside and heat hits like a wall. Taxi drivers wave, songthaew engines rattle, Grab drivers check phones. Walk straight to avoid the guys pushing tour packages. Grab pickup spot is near the 7-Eleven on the right side of the exit. Meter taxis line up on the left. Songthaews park further left near the small food stalls.
Luggage carts exist but wheels are busted on half of them. Easier to just carry your bag twenty meters to the taxi. Bathrooms inside the terminal smell like bleach and regret. Use them before you leave because the ride’s only fifteen minutes but traffic might stretch it to thirty.
Locals use this terminal for short Chiang Rai hops, not long-haul trips. It’s quieter than Arcade Bus Terminal but still busy during peak commute hours. If you’re also planning Getting Around Chiang Mai after Chiang Rai, same transport rules apply: Grab for speed, songthaew for budget, meter taxi for middle ground.
20-30m
