Lampang

Air

There is an airport in Lampang and it is actually closer to town than either the bus or train stations. But according to the Tourist Bureau as at early 2010 there were currently no commercial flights to/from Lampang.

Train

The train is not a convenient way to continue on to Chiang Mai from Lampang, since most of the onward trains swing through town before dawn. There is one train, #51, that comes through Lampang and on to Chiang Mai at 10:10. But it takes 2.5 hours to get there from Lampang and that is assuming the damn thing will be on time, which it won't. Train is a great option for Lampang down to Bangkok, with the sleeper trains coming through at a convenient after-dinner time.

Bus

Bus is a better option to head north to Chiang Mai, particularly since nearly all buses from anywhere south will be stopping off in Lampang to drop off and pick up passengers. The green second-class Lampang to Chiang Mai bus departs on the hour and costs 48 baht per person for the trip to Arcade bus station. There are some really great looking VVIP buses down to Bangkok that look extra comfy and would be worth booking ahead.

Getting Around

Within Lampang, songthaews are a uniform 20 baht per person to and from the bus or train station to the tourist area and elsewhere. Since it really is too far to walk from either into town, that a pretty fair deal. Otherwise, almost everywhere of interest is an easy walk from the Talad Kao/Thipchang/Boonyawat area.

The Horse-draw Carriages are everywhere, charging approximately 200 baht per ride for a lap around the area. They were very popular with Thai tourists. We did see a sign (in Thai only) at Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang for carriage rides for 60 baht.

The Riverside Guesthouse and a few other places like offer motor scooter rental for 200 baht per day. Demand seems to outstrip supply, so it is a good idea to make a reservation a day in advance if you want a scooter.