By bus the journey from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai is scheduled to take 13 hours. There are no direct air or rail connections between Khon Kaen and Chiang Rai.
Bus Times from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai
There are currently 3 direct bus services a day from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai available to book online.
| Khon Kaen | Chiang Rai | Ticket | Service | Company |
| 10:15 | 23:15 | 810 THB | Express 30 | Sombat Tour |
| 18:30 | 07:30 | 701 THB | Express | Esan Tour |
| 19:30 | 08:30 | 810 THB | Express 30 | Sombat Tour |
- Passengers on Sombat Tour services from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai travel in a one level bus with an onboard toilet.
Buy Tickets from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai
Use the Search Box below to buy bus tickets from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai.
Khon Kaen Bus Station
Bus services from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai depart from Khon Kaen Bus Terminal 3.
Chiang Rai Bus Station
- Bus services from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai terminate at Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 2.
About Travel to Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai is a smaller city than Chiang Mai and less visitors go there on holiday than they do to Chiang Mai. The principal attractions of Chiang Rai are its four highly artistic, and recently constructed, temples: the White Temple, the Blue Temple, the Black Temple and Wat Huay Pla Kang. All these temples are located within 30 minutes drive of the city centre.
White Temple in Chiang Rai
The White Temple is the best known of these four temples and the easiest to get to. There is a cheap public bus from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, which is in the city centre, that drops passengers off near the entrance to the White Temple.
Wat Huay Pla Kang in Chiang Rai
Wat Huay Pla Kang is the second most popular tourist destination in Chiang Rai featuring a 9 storey pagoda, a very ornate large shrine hall, and an enormous statue of Guan Yin, who is the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Wat Huay Pla Kang isn’t on a public bus route so you need to hire a tuk-tuk or taxi to get there from the city centre.
Wat Huay Pla Kang in Chiang RaiChiang Rai Town
Chiang Rai ia compact city with a night market and a cluster of tourist hotels and restaurants on the main street. Chiang Rai doesn’t have much in the way of night life compared to Chiang Mai and tends not to attract as many younger visitors. For visitors interested in Thai history it is also worth exploring some of the smaller temples in the city centre such as Wat Phra Kaew, which is where according to legend the Emerald Buddha was discovered inside a chedi in 1434.