Getting around Chiang Mai Songthaew, tuk tuk, cab, Grab.
It's no secret that Chiang Mai and its immediate suburbs are one of the areas with the most interesting sights in Thailand. One of the questions that often comes up is how to get around the city and reach all these interesting places (temples, museums, restaurants, cafés, etc.).
Les Songthaew
The most common public transport in Chiang Mai is called Songthaew (pronounced “Song Théo”). Songthaews are pickup trucks whose beds are covered with a roof and equipped with two benches facing each other, each seating five people.
In Thai, Songthaew means “two rows.” This vehicle is also called Rod Daeng (pronounced “Rot Dèng”), which means “red car” in Thai because most Songthaews circulating within the city are red.
En thaï, le mot Songthaew signifie en effet « deux rangées ». Ce véhicule est également appelé Rod Daeng (lire « Rot Dèng ») ce qui signifie « voiture rouge en thaï » car les Songthaew les plus nombreux (ceux qui circulent à l’intérieur de la ville) sont de couleur rouge.
How to use a Songthaew?
To stop a Songthaew, simply stand by the roadside on the side you want to go and raise your arm when a Songthaew approaches. When the driver stops, tell him your destination. If it is on his route, he will say yes, and you can get on the back. If he says no, it means your destination is not on his route, and you must wait for another Songthaew. There is no need to bargain; the fixed price is 30 baht per person (it was 20 baht before Covid) if your destination is inside the city. For destinations outside the city, you must rent the vehicle privately and negotiate the price (for example, the red Songthaews parked in front of Chiang Mai Zoo going to the Doi Suthep temple negotiate between 500 and 1200 baht depending on your chosen destination on Suthep Mountain).
Note that other colored Songthaews exist in Chiang Mai—yellow, white, blue, green, and orange. These go to destinations or towns outside Chiang Mai (Lampang, Mae Rim, etc.) and are almost never used by tourists.
The Tuk Tuk
The second most common public transport in Chiang Mai is, of course, the tuk tuk (pronounced “touk touk”), a motorized tricycle with a roof and a rear bench that can seat two people (sometimes three).
In Thailand, you stop a tuk tuk the same way as a Songthaew—by raising your arm and waving your hand palm down. The fare must be negotiated with the driver (though it’s advised not to be too demanding or harsh during negotiation. Excessive behavior causes loss of face in Thailand, or worse, can cause the driver to lose face, which sometimes leads to problems!). Since the end of the Covid pandemic, with increases in gasoline prices, tuk tuk fares in Chiang Mai have increased. A ride from the airport or Central Airport Plaza shopping mall to downtown cannot be negotiated for less than 150 or 200 baht (price is for the entire ride, not per person).
Metered Taxis
There are very few metered taxis in Chiang Mai, and almost all are parked at the airport or near shopping malls (Central Airport Plaza, Central Festival, etc.). These taxis rarely use their meters, and fares are negotiated in advance. A ride from the airport to downtown costs between 150 and 250 baht depending on distance (Chiang Mai airport is only 15 minutes from downtown).
GRAB Taxis
Since the Covid period, the GRAB taxi service has exploded in Thailand and Chiang Mai. To book a GRAB car (or motorbike), you just need to download the app on your smartphone. The app geolocates you, and a vehicle picks you up from your location and takes you to your indicated destination. Prices vary widely depending on distance and time (average rides within Chiang Mai during the day cost between 90 and 150 baht). It has been noted that at certain times (especially at night), it can be cheaper to take a tuk tuk than a GRAB vehicle.
