I would like to know which is the best, least stressful, way getting from BKK to Chang Mai? I read on the post, that you waste time during day traveling on the plane. Also, I read that you leave on the train at night and arrive in the morning in CM. So now I need imput from people that have done it both ways to compare. Also, how nice and clean are the trains, mainly, the restrooms?

Definitely fly!

There are many BKK-CM flights. It will take about 4 hours door-to-door. I suggest you do it in the morning and you will have the whole afternoon in CM. Same coming back. Thai Air, Bangkok Air, Air Asia.

Find one of the cheap flights and fly. Last year we flew up to CM for the day. Left on a 8 am flight and were there in just about an hour. Spent the day shopping, seeing the flower show, and back in BKK for dinner. So much better than a sleepless night on a shaking train.

I've done both, and I didn't find either stressful, but I've had quite a lot of practice sleeping on trains. The nice thing about Thai trains is that the bunks are parallel to the windows, instead of perpendicular, so with curtains you get much more privacy. See seat61.com/Thailand.htm for info and pix.

The plane would definitely be faster. I would recommend the train only if you are interested in train travel and seeing some countryside in the morning arriving in Chiang Mai. The bathrooms are my least favorite part of taking the train!

fly...

I cannot speak highly enough about the overnight train ride between Bangkok and Chiang Mai -- espcially if you're interested in visiting the countty (as opposed to merely "seeing" it). Train is the vehicle of transportation that the Thai people use; thus, you can have many more indigenous experiences aboard the train than you would otherwise.

Moreover, 1st and 2nd class train travel is quite comfortable. Choose 2nd class "fan" during the cooler months as the A/C tends to be way too cold. Lower berths are wider and more comfortable if available -- and they have control of the window besides.

Leave at night, wake up in the morning at your destination, and avoid the sterility of airport travel. To each their own; I favor the train -- without question.

Overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai and fly back to Bangkok or some other destination.

Using the sleeper train will also save you paying for another night in a hotel.

If you take the train bring a few snacks. They do serve breakfast if you order ahead of time. Most of the eggs come out barely cooked though, same for any breakfast meat.

When you arrive in Chiang Mai you have the whole day ahead of you!

Good luck.

Ditto on the train food--in a word: scary.

We did the train and it's adventurous in a backpacker-y sort of way.

However, if you want to share a bunk with 2 other people, then book 2nd class. If you, however, want more privacy and more room, book 1st class (which only has 2 bunks, not 4) and bring a sweatshirt or sweater for the VERY cold A/C. The slight difference in price from 1st to 2nd class isn't even worth blinking over for the advantages.

And, yes, the bathroom is fairly nasty--a squat toilet, which, as you can imagine, gets pretty dirty after a few uses. It's a 14hr journey, so you can guess how many uses it gets.

It's a great way (as mentioned) to see the country, but you have to have a streak of adventure if you're going to enjoy it. By far, not the most primitive train ever, but definitely not the most comfortable either. It all comes down to personal preference.

Happy travels!

"Train is the vehicle of transportation that the Thai people use; thus, you can have many more indigenous experiences aboard the train than you would otherwise".

Squat toilet is a pretty indigenous experience on a shaking train

"Leave at night, wake up in the morning at your destination, and avoid the sterility of airport travel. To each their own"

Not sure how you "visit the country" when it's dark outside and you're sleeping, but as you said to each their own. I would fly.

Fly !!!