Mae Sai Airport Transfer Guide (2026) - All Options & Tips
Easily reach Mae Sai with reliable airport transfer services, ensuring a smooth start to your adventure. Explore things to do in Mae Sai with ease.
We have not yet verified how travellers currently reach Mae Sai from the airport serving it, so we are not publishing routes, operators or fares we cannot stand behind. For what is running on the day you travel, the arrivals information published by your arrival airport is the reliable source, and your accommodation will usually know what works best for the hour you land.
Airport transfers
Trains, buses, and shuttles from the airport, compared in one place.
Helpful Tips
Use the shared songthaews that depart from near the border crossing for trips to Mae Chan and Chiang Rai
Exchange Thai baht at the border before taking local transport as drivers rarely accept Myanmar kyat
The Mae Sai bus terminal on Phahonyothin Road is the main hub for Greenbus services to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
Motorbike taxis wait at the border checkpoint for quick trips into town when songthaews aren't running
Common Scams to Avoid
Tuk-tuk drivers at the Mae Sai immigration checkpoint often quote inflated flat fares to nearby hotels or the border bridge, claiming the distance is farther than it is. Ask your accommodation for the typical fare or insist on using the meter if available, and agree on a price before boarding.
Currency-exchange booths just outside the Mae Sai border post advertise "no commission" but bury a poor rate in the fine print, for Thai baht to kyat or yuan conversions. Compare the offered rate against the mid-market rate on your phone and walk to a bank branch if the spread is more than a few percent.
Unofficial 'helpers' inside the Mae Sai terminal offer to fast-track immigration forms or carry bags to the border gate for a large tip, even though the process is straightforward and free. Politely decline and follow the clearly marked signs. Immigration officers will assist at no charge if you have questions.