Bus Service: Going for a Ride in Chiangmai

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The Eco-friendly Bus Operations

Bus service routes
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Chiang Mai municipality has quadrupled the size of its 26 vehicle fleet of air-conditioned, eco-friendly minibuses for the convenience of commuters. The city is meeting the demand for a highly dependable public transport system. The public-spirited aim of the municipality is to produce a first class, cheap, efficient, user-friendly public bus service, for residents and visitors alike starting in February 2006.

The fleet of air-conditioned, 32- seaters, plies several circuitous routes around the city, with the occasional dalliance into the central areas. I sampled, at random, two of these routes, and found the service and scenery to be excellent. The ride is cheaper (ten baht per trip), and certainly more comfortable than any other form of public transport available in Chiang Mai. The service is suited for the tourist as well as the local citizen. The municipality has created a system to solve the issue of public transportation.

The new eco-friendly minibuses (they run on bio-diesel fuel, 20 percent of which is purified recycled vegetable oil) would stick to the more circuitous routes. At the moment, red taxis continue to operate freely within and outside the city limits, serving feeder routes between the major bus stations.

The current routes are displayed in both Thai and English on the side of the minibuses. It’s difficult to find a route map or timetable. You’ll have to devote some hours to ride and explore the bus routes for yourself.

Chiang Mai Public Bus Routes

The public bus system is now in operation daily from 6 am to 10 pm. The bus fare is only Baht 15.

Route 2 Lamphun Road to 7th Field Artillery, Mae Rim

Route 4 International Airport via Wualai & Charoenmuang roads to Carrefour

Route 6 Around the Mahidol ring road.

Route 8 Provincial Hall, Mae Rim to International Airport

Route 10 Kwan Vieng Village, Hangdong Road to city center

Route 11 Bus Arcade (Kaew Nawarat Rd) to Airport Plaza to Night Safari

Route 12 Wiang Khum Gaam (Nong Hoy) to city moat to Chiang Mai University to Chiang Mai Zoo.

Route 13 Train Station to Wat Pra Singh to Night Safari.

For more information and color maps, call 66 53 259107-8. (Rates and additional bus routes to be anticipated.)

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