Thailand

Chiang Mai

A northern Thai old town still ringed by its moat. No urban rail here — the red songthaew is how the city moves.

Red songthaew (รถแดง) / tuk-tuk (รถตุ๊กตุ๊ก)

Red songthaews and tuk-tuks hailed in the street work the same way. Flag one down, name your destination, and agree a price before you climb in. There is no meter, and you pay cash at the window after you get out.

Updated on August 28, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Flag one down in the street
    The songthaews you negotiate with have no stops and no timetable - just raise your hand at one coming down the street.
  2. 2
    Name your destination at the window
    Lean in and say where you want to go. If it does not suit the driver he waves you off - wait for the next one.
  3. 3
    Agree the price before boarding
    There is no meter. Say how many of you there are and whether you want the whole vehicle, then settle on a number.
  4. 4
    Climb in at the back
    Red songthaews are shared - you sit on the benches in the back. A tuk-tuk carries your group alone.
  5. 5
    Buzz when you want to get off
    Press the buzzer on the roof to signal your stop; in a tuk-tuk just tell the driver.
  6. 6
    Pay at the window after you step out
    Hand over the agreed amount in exact cash - drivers often have no change.

Payment

Card payment
No readers on board, and the city has no fare gates at all
IC card
No transit card exists here - Bangkok's cards are useless
App tickets Unverified
Same vehicles bookable on Grab (Rod Daeng / TukTuk); payment unconfirmed
QR ticketing Unverified
Fitted on 258 co-op vehicles, but it assumes a Thai banking app
Cash
Pay at the driver's window after you get out - change often runs short

Quick facts

Frequency
Hail on the street

Heads-up

  • Say the fare out loud before you get in

    Board without pinning down the price and you will be told the driver's number when you get out. Overcharging of tourists is a recognised problem at provincial level - the transport office is working on revised fares - so say the figure out loud before you get in.

  • Fare disputes go to the land transport line on 1584

    Fare disputes go to the Department of Land Transport on 1584. The web portal works for visitors too - the ID type selector takes a passport as well as a Thai national ID, for filing and for tracking the case. Note the vehicle number before you walk away.

Timetable

Typical duration A red songthaew picks up other passengers along the way, so the trip time is anyone's guess - not the ride for a tight schedule.
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka