Key hubs
Pai airport and railway station
- Airport
- Pai Airport (PYY) is inactive, with no scheduled flights per Wikipedia and Wikivoyage. Most visitors fly to Chiang Mai (CNX) and travel about 3 hours by road; Mae Hong Son Airport has flights from Chiang Mai.
- Railway station
- None. There is no rail service to Pai; the nearest railway is in Chiang Mai, and the onward journey is by road.
- Getting around
- Scooters and bicycles are rented widely, but hills are steep and accidents are common; a hired car or taxi with driver is calmer for families. Minivans link Pai with Chiang Mai.
How to reach Pai by air
Pai Airport (PYY) is inactive, with no scheduled flights per Wikipedia and Wikivoyage as of 2024. The usual gateway is Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX), about 3 hours from Pai by road. We could not confirm direct flights from India to Chiang Mai, so most travellers connect via Bangkok. Mae Hong Son Airport has flights from Chiang Mai but is a further drive.
How to reach Pai by train
There is no rail service to Pai. The nearest railway is in Chiang Mai, and the onward journey is by road, so do not plan around a train.
How to reach Pai by road
Pai is on Route 1095 between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son, about 135 to 146 km from Chiang Mai depending on source. Minivans run from Chiang Mai in about 3 hours, and private cars take similar time. The road is steep and winding; take motion-sickness medicine.
Getting around Pai
Pai town is small and flat enough to walk. Bicycles and scooters are widely rented, but a hired car or taxi with driver is safer for families. Motorbike and 4WD taxis cover the outlying sights.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Pai
- Use a driver rather than a scooter; roads are steep and Wikivoyage reports frequent accidents.
- Ask the airline or railway for wheelchair or porter assistance when you book, not on the day.
- Pre-book the pickup from the airport or station, so nobody has to negotiate with drivers after a long journey.
- Choose arrivals in daylight where you can, and keep the first afternoon free to rest.