Chiang Mai has only one city bus line of limited use, so most residents get about in săwngthăew (pick-up truck taxis) or on bicycle or motorcycle.

The best way to get around is bicycle. They are cheap to hire, environmentally friendly, give the lungs a workout and can be rented conveniently from many guesthouses and along the east moat. There are also hordes of săwngthăew, túk-túk (three-wheeled motorised taxis) and săamláw (three-wheeled pedicabs) which are cheap enough but contribute to unnecessary traffic congestion and pollution. There are plans to initiate a mass transit system in Chiang Mai: a rail system would certainly help with the current congestion woes.