Flights / Travel to Chiang Mai from BKK

Pompui wrote:

So I've been researching flights getting ready to come over in a couple months, and I am not seeing any direct flights to Chiang Mai from the states. I already have 26-27hrs. of flight and layover time to get to BKK. What is the most cost efficient and quickest way to get to Chiang Mai, and reccos on how to do it? Fly out of DM for Chiang Mai or Suvh Airport?

Am I better off taking a couple days in BKK to relax before heading to CM, or see if they have a flight I can catch from BKK to Chiang Mai a couple hours after my arrival so I can clear customs?

The most efficient but not the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to CM is a flight. Both Bangkok Airways and Thai fly from BKK while the budget carriers Nok and Air Asia fly from DMK(Don Muang).

Trains and buses also travel the route.

If you feel like a break I would be tempted to stopover for 24/48 hrs in Bangkok. There are some excellent budget range hotels near(not in) the airport area.

There is some more details on travel betwenBangkok and Chiang Maihere

Of course you'd have to fly bkk to CM ......unless you're crazy...
After 27 hours flying i'd need a hospital bed in bkk for a few days....
If you are not in a hurry....why hurry....?
I wouldn't stay near the airport in bkk....I'd stay a few days in town....relax....

The train to chiang mai from bangkok is nice, if you're into such things, and quite inexpensive.   We took it a few times but probably never will again since several trains derailed on that route a year ago or so.  They said it related to use of inferior steel in rail construction but it would be hard to know for sure.

People didn''t die in those derailments, as far as I know,  but that would likely be a bad experience.  Even at that time the likelihood of being on the train wasn't high since there were many trains running compared to those accidents.

If you do decide to take rail the night train is the way to go, in a sleeping berth.  First and second class aren't so different,  just bunks (essentially) in a small room that holds 4 or 2, first class with a door, like a hotel room.   Of course it's all not for everyone,  depends on the person.

My understanding is that reservations need to go through a third party but once you find the right site to do that it's easy.