Doi Suthep Temple: Fees, Hours, Songthaew and Dress Code

Doi Suthep is a hilltop temple 15 kilometres from Chiang Mai, at an elevation of 1,073 meters. The funicular adds THB 20 for the round trip, so THB 50 in all. The 306 steps are free to climb. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the mountain temple above the city.

By Vincent Nguyen

On this page
  1. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ticket prices and opening hours
  2. What to see at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
  3. Who Wat Phra That Doi Suthep suits (and who should skip it)
  4. How to get to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
  5. When to go and how long
  6. Nearby and how to combine it
  7. Before you go
  8. Common questions

On this page

  1. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ticket prices and opening hours
  2. What to see at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
  3. Who Wat Phra That Doi Suthep suits (and who should skip it)
  4. How to get to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
  5. When to go and how long
  6. Nearby and how to combine it
  7. Before you go
  8. Common questions

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ) is a hilltop temple 15 kilometres from Chiang Mai, at an elevation of 1,073 meters. It is a half-day trip, and the one thing to get right is which fee you are paying. The funicular adds THB 20 for the round trip.

Gold-plated chedi against a blue sky with a corner of a roof in the foreground
The gold-plated chedi at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep ticket prices and opening hours

What you pay Price
Staircase (306 steps) Free.
Funicular, round trip THB 20
Funicular round trip including temple admission, foreign visitor THB 50
Park nature areas, foreign adult THB 100
Park nature areas, foreign child THB 50

The THB 50 funicular ticket already includes the temple fee, so you do not pay twice.

The national park fee is separate

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park fees start on 1 October 2025. They apply to some areas. These include the Pha Lat Nature Trail, Huai Kaew Waterfall, Doi Pui and Suan Son Resort.

What to see at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Two multi-headed naga serpent statues flanking a brick staircase that climbs through trees
The naga staircase leading up to the temple.

The original gold plated chedi is the most holy area of the temple grounds. Within the site are pagodas, statues, bells, a museum, and shrines.

Gilded Buddha images on a tiered altar inside a hall with a red ceiling and chandeliers
A shrine hall inside the temple grounds.

From the terrace, impressive views of downtown Chiang Mai can be seen.

A short history

The temple is said to have been founded in 1383 when the first stupa was built.

Who Wat Phra That Doi Suthep suits (and who should skip it)

  • Good for views. The terrace looks over downtown Chiang Mai.
  • The temple is wheelchair accessible via the funicular and a series of very steep ramps.
View over forested slopes to the Chiang Mai valley under a clear blue sky
The valley view from the mountainside.

How to get to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

The map shows the temple; open it in Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Open Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Red songthaew

Clearly marked songthaews leave from the 7-Eleven at Chang Phuak Gate. Others wait on Huai Kaew Road near the northern gate of Chiang Mai University, and they seem to congregate around Chiang Mai Zoo.

Three red pickup trucks lined up on a road below a large painted billboard of a temple
Red songthaews lined up on the road to the temple.

For fares and how to pay on city routes, see the red songthaew guide. Uphill trips such as Doi Suthep cost more than city rides.

Your own vehicle

Visitors may park bicycles, motorcycles, private cars or buses in the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep parking lot. The roads are good and well signposted. See the motorbike rental guide for the licence rules.

On foot

The Pha Lat Nature Trail is a park fee area, so carry THB 100 for a foreign adult if you walk up.

When to go and how long

Gold chedi and a tall umbrella silhouetted against a pink dusk sky
The chedi at dusk.

If you stay for sunset, plan the way down first.

Nearby and how to combine it

Bhubing Palace is about 4 kilometers from the temple. There is no public transport, so visitors must use their own vehicle or hire a taxi from the temple’s front gate.

Palace building with green and orange tiled roofs behind flower beds and a statue
The garden at Bhubing Palace, higher up the mountain.

Then take a taxi to the palace gardens.

Back in the city, the Old City has two more temples with their own guides: Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.

Before you go

  • Carry THB 100 in cash if you walk the Pha Lat trail.
Photo credits

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Not confirmed: Official tariff and timetable: not fetched, because the national tourism site blocks bots. Fee, funicular fare and hours rest on tourism guides. Red songthaews downhill after dark: unconfirmed.

Common questions

How much does Doi Suthep cost for foreigners?

The funicular fare is THB 20 for the round trip, so foreigners pay THB 50 in all. The staircase is free to climb.

Do I pay the national park fee at Doi Suthep temple?

The park fee of THB 100 for foreign adults covers areas such as the Pha Lat Nature Trail, Huai Kaew Waterfall and Doi Pui.

How do I get to Doi Suthep from Chiang Mai?

Red songthaews leave from the 7-Eleven at Chang Phuak Gate.

Is Doi Suthep wheelchair accessible?

The temple is wheelchair accessible via a funicular railway and a series of very steep ramps.

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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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