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State Railway of Thailand · Every night, both ways

Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train Bangkok to the northern hills

The Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat in the evening and climbs into the northern hills by morning.

Special Express 9 uses modern sleeping cars and arrives at 07:15; Special Express 13 follows later and gets in at 08:45, with the last hills in daylight.

PausedBangkok Krung Thep AphiwatDepart 18:40 (train 9)
Bangkok Krung Thep AphiwatDon MueangAyutthayaPhitsanulokLamphunChiang Mai
Next: Don Mueang
Nights on board0 night12h 35m on train 9
Route length, as drawn0 kmMeasured along our mapped line through every waypoint.
Scheduled stops shown0 stopsEvery night, both ways
Timetable

Every stop, both ways

Every night, both ways.

Times from the operator’s published timetable; track works can change them, and booked passengers are told of changes.

Bangkok → Chiang Mai

Special Express 9 · Daily

Arr.Dep.Station
—18:40Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat
—18:57Don Mueang
—19:45Ayutthaya
—00:18Phitsanuloknext day
—06:51Lamphun
07:15—Chiang Mai

Bangkok → Chiang Mai

Special Express 13 · Daily

Arr.Dep.Station
—20:05Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat
—20:22Don Mueang
—21:07Ayutthaya
—01:49Phitsanuloknext day
—08:21Lamphun
08:45—Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai → Bangkok

Special Express 14 · Daily

Arr.Dep.Station
—17:05Chiang Mai
—17:33Lamphun
—00:01Phitsanuloknext day
04:48—Ayutthaya
05:38—Don Mueang
05:55—Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat

Chiang Mai → Bangkok

Special Express 10 · Daily

Arr.Dep.Station
—18:20Chiang Mai
—18:43Lamphun
—01:01Phitsanuloknext day
05:23—Ayutthaya
06:13—Don Mueang
06:30—Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat

Source: The Man in Seat 61, Train travel in Thailand (2026) ↗

Rooms and fares

Choose your berth

From a reclining seat to a suite with its own shower.

Pick a class to see what you get and what it costs.

2nd class air-con sleeper, train 9

A berth in an open-plan air-conditioned car, in the same modern cars.

Upper 941 baht · lower 1,041 baht

One-way fares Bangkok to Chiang Mai, as published by Richard Barrow’s Thai Train Guide (timetables updated 5 December 2025).

Children pay reduced fares.

Tickets go on sale up to 180 days ahead and 1st class sells out early. Richard Barrow’s Thai Train Guide, Special Express No. 9 ↗

When to go

Pick the right month

Daylight decides what you see from the window.

Hover a month for the verdict.

Best months Runs Not running

Every night of the year.

Most visitors choose the cooler, drier months from November to February, when trains also fill up fastest.

From the window

What you’ll see

01

Sleep through the plains

The central plains pass in the dark; you wake as the train climbs into the northern hills.

02

New sleeping cars on train 9

Special Express 9 and 10 use the newer CNR sleeping cars and have a restaurant car.

03

Daylight hills on train 13

Arriving at 08:45, train 13 runs the last hills before Chiang Mai in full daylight.

04

No hotel night

An evening departure and a breakfast arrival save a night’s accommodation.

Questions

Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train, answered

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Special Express 9 leaves Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat at 18:40 and arrives in Chiang Mai at 07:15.

Special Express 13 leaves at 20:05 and arrives at 08:45. seat61 ↗

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (also known as Bang Sue Grand).

Long-distance trains moved there from Hua Lamphong in January 2023. seat61 ↗

On train 9, a 2nd class air-con berth is 941 baht upper or 1,041 baht lower, and 1st class is 1,453 or 1,653 baht, or 2,453 baht for a compartment to yourself.

Train 13 is cheaper. Thai Train Guide ↗

Train 9 has the newer sleeping cars and arrives earlier.

Train 13 uses older cars, is a little cheaper and runs the hills near Chiang Mai in daylight. Thai Train Guide ↗

Special Express 14 leaves Chiang Mai at 17:05 and arrives at Krung Thep Aphiwat at 05:55.

Special Express 10 leaves at 18:20 and arrives at 06:30. Train times ↗

Up to 180 days ahead on the State Railway of Thailand’s booking site.

1st class on train 9 sells out quickly. Thai Train Guide ↗

Stop-offs

Every stop, and why you might get off

Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train route map, Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Sources

Times are from the operator’s published timetable and can change.

The animation runs to the scheduled pace between stops; intermediate points are drawn to follow the line, not to show timings.

Next departure

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SST logo: sleepertrain.org’s Bangkok to Chiang Mai sleeper train guide