AirOrSeaTravel is an independent guide. Bookings on this page are completed on the provider’s own website. How we are funded.

AirOrSeaTravel — find your way there
Chiang Mai · Thailand

Car hire and driving in Chiang Mai

Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.

OverviewFlightsHotelsTrainsBusesCar rentalTours

In Thailand traffic drives on the left. Picking up at CNX means 4 km (2 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648876 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648881 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25743536.

Drives from Chiang Mai

Car rental from Chiang Mai: distances and estimated journey times
RouteCountryDistanceEstimated time
Chiang Mai to LampangThailand77 km (48 mi)about 1 h 10 min
Chiang Mai to VientianeLaos392 km (244 mi)about 5 h 59 min
Chiang Mai to Udon ThaniThailand430 km (267 mi)about 6 h 33 min
Chiang Mai to Khon KaenThailand484 km (301 mi)about 7 h 23 min
Chiang Mai to Nakhon RatchasimaThailand539 km (335 mi)about 8 h 13 min
Chiang Mai to Khlong LuangThailand555 km (345 mi)about 8 h 27 min
Chiang Mai to Nakhon PathomThailand564 km (351 mi)about 8 h 36 min
Chiang Mai to Pak KretThailand566 km (352 mi)about 8 h 38 min
Chiang Mai to Sai MaiThailand570 km (354 mi)about 8 h 41 min
Chiang Mai to Lak SiThailand571 km (355 mi)about 8 h 43 min
Chiang Mai to Mueang NonthaburiThailand572 km (355 mi)about 8 h 43 min
Chiang Mai to Thị Trấn Thuận ChâuVietnam573 km (356 mi)about 8 h 44 min
Chiang Mai to Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam1,208 km (751 mi)about 18 h 25 min
Chiang Mai to HanoiVietnam759 km (471 mi)about 11 h 34 min
Chiang Mai to BangkokThailand583 km (362 mi)about 8 h 53 min
Chiang Mai to HaiphongVietnam838 km (520 mi)about 12 h 46 min
Chiang Mai to Phnom PenhCambodia1,025 km (637 mi)about 15 h 38 min
Chiang Mai to Cần ThơVietnam1,218 km (757 mi)about 18 h 34 min
Chiang Mai to HuếVietnam948 km (589 mi)about 14 h 28 min
Chiang Mai to Da NangVietnam1,025 km (637 mi)about 15 h 38 min

Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.

Where to compare car hire

ExpediaCar hire from the major suppliers, and the one to look at if the flight or hotel is already booked there. Part of Expedia Group.Check car hire on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
DiscoverCarsCompares local and international suppliers. Read the counter reviews before you pick.Check rental cars on DiscoverCars (opens www.discovercars.com in a new tab)
Rentalcars.comBooking.com's car arm, with wide airport coverage worldwide.Compare suppliers on Rentalcars.com (opens www.rentalcars.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.

Common questions

Which side of the road do they drive on in Chiang Mai?

The left, as everywhere in Thailand.

How are the journey times on this page worked out?

From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.

Where these facts come from

  • GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
  • Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
  • OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
  • Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines

Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.