Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal

Where we meet you

Arcade is Chiang Mai's main long-distance bus terminal, at the far end of Kaeo Nawarat Road north-east of the old city, just before the Superhighway. Buses from Bangkok and other provinces pull into Terminal 2 or Terminal 3, which sit side by side across a small road, a few minutes' walk apart.

We wait in the car park in front of the building your bus arrives at, standing beside the car with a sign showing your name. When you book, send us the bus company and departure time on LINE, since different companies use different buildings. If you step off and are not sure which building you are at, message us the building or a shop you can see.

Delivery to Arcade is free, the same as at Chiang Mai Airport and the railway station. You pay only the daily rate; see pricing for how it drops with longer rentals.

Overnight buses from Bangkok

Buses from Bangkok's Mo Chit terminal take about 9 to 11 hours, and evening departures usually reach Chiang Mai between dawn and mid-morning. The real arrival time depends on traffic and how many stops the bus makes. If yours is running late, tell us on LINE and we will move the meeting time.

Collection or return between 22:00 and 06:00 carries a ฿200 out-of-hours fee, charged once per rental. Some buses arrive before 06:00; if yours does, we tell you before we confirm the booking. If you are in no hurry, having breakfast at the terminal and collecting the car after 06:00 avoids the fee.

Where you can go from Arcade

Tha Phae Gate and the old city are about 3 to 4 km away, around 10 minutes when traffic is light. Nimman is about 20 minutes, and Chiang Mai Airport 20 to 25 minutes, since it sits on the far side of the city.

The terminal's real advantage is the Superhighway on its doorstep. If your first stop is out of town, such as Chiang Rai, Lamphun or Lampang, you join the highway straight from the terminal without crossing the old city. If you are taking a bus back to Bangkok at the end of the trip, you can return the car here before you board instead of returning it elsewhere and taking a taxi across town.

Handover and documents

Handover takes about 15 minutes. Bring your original driving licence, held for at least a year; the driver must be 21 or over. If your licence was issued outside Thailand you also need a valid International Driving Permit and your passport. Without it we cannot hand over the car, because your insurance would not cover a claim. See the IDP guide.

We photograph the car together, every side plus the odometer and battery reading, and send the set to your LINE chat as the reference we compare against on return. The deposit is paid in cash or by PromptPay and comes back in full on the day you return the car. Insurance, excess and cancellation are covered in the FAQ.

Returning the car

On the day, drive into the car park in front of the building your bus leaves from and message us on LINE. We walk round the car together, take the same photos, compare the battery level and hand back your deposit, which takes 10 to 15 minutes. Allow at least 45 minutes before your bus leaves, so there is time to park, return the car and walk to your bus without rushing.