It's easy to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane (or vice versa) by train, using the daily overnight sleeper train direct from Bangkok to Nong Khai and a special connecting local train to the new international rail terminal at Thanaleng in Laos, some 13km outside Vientiane.
The train uses the new rail link over the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong river into Laos, opened on 5 March 2009. You can then take a local bus or tuk tuk to central Vientiane. It's safe, cheap and comfortable. Alternatively, you can still travel between Bangkok & Vientiane the old way, using any of the Bangkok-Nong Khai trains, then making your own way by bus or taxi between Nong Khai & Vientiane. This section explains both options.
* Change trains at Nong Khai. Originally, through 2nd class sleeper cars operated between Bangkok & Thanaleng, but it's now reported that the Nong Khai to Thanaleng train is run as a totally separate train with 3rd class seats. You've a couple of hours to change trains in Nong Khai and buy onward tickets.
** Use local transport (bus, taxi, tuk-tuk) between Nong Khai & Vientiane
*** Use local transport (taxi, tuk-tuk) between Thanaleng & central Vientiane.
Option 1, take the train all the way between Bangkok & Laos...
The easiest option is to take the overnight train (train 69 northbound, train 70 southbound) between Bangkok & Nong Khai, and the connecting local train across the Friendship Bridge between Nong Khai & Thanaleng in Laos, just outside Vientiane. An extension of the railway to the suburbs of Vientiane is planned. How to buy tickets. The new Thanaleng station is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, so pre-arrange a taxi transfer into Vientiane if you can, perhaps by booking a hotel then asking them to arrange a taxi. If you can't, you'll no doubt find a taxi or bus into town, and Thai baht are normally readily accepted.
VISAS: 'Visas on arrival' for Laos are now issued at Thanaleng station, costing US$35 + 1- baht entry fee.
Option 2, use any train between Bangkok & Nong Khai, then bus or taxi to Vientiane...
The other way to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane (or vice versa) is to take any train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, overnight train 69 (train 70 southbound) being the best choice. Nong Khai is just a few kilometres from the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River into Laos. You then use road transport across the Friendship Bridge into Laos like this: (1) Take a local tuk-tuk taxi from Nong Khai railway station to the Nong Khai bus station. (2) A shuttle bus runs from the bus station across the Friendship Bridge to Laos every 20 minutes throughout the day, fare about 30 baht. It stops at Thai immigration 5 mins after leaving the bus station then crosses the Friendship Bridge to arrive at Lao customs & immigration some 10 mins later (a 15-day visa on arrival available for Laos at this border point). (3) You now remove your luggage from the bus luggage hold and go through Lao customs. Take another tuk-tuk to your chosen hotel. Try this link for more information on the shuttle bus. When travelling southbound, leave central Vientiane at least 3 hours before your train leaves Nong Khai for Bangkok to allow time for border formalities and the various bus/taxi journeys.
How to buy tickets from Bangkok to Vientiane...
You can't buy through tickets from Bangkok to Thanaleng, at least not yet, you have to buy a ticket from Bangkok to Nong Khai, then buy the onward ticket from Nong Khai to Thanaleng at the station when you get to Nong Khai. You can buy your Bangkok-Nong Khai sleeper ticket at the reservations office in Bangkok or online using the new Thai Railways online booking service. The new online service can now book 2nd class air-con sleepers from Bangkok to Nong Khai on train 69, but it won't book 1st class ones or tickets for any of the other Bangkok-Nong Khai trains, at least not yet.
Or you can buy tickets through an agency such as Traveller2000. For details of all these methods see the How to Buy Tickets section on the Thailand page. You then buy your Nong Khai to Thanaleng ticket for 20 baht when you arrive at Nong Khai station. There's plenty of time to do this, as the train has a 2 hour layover in Nong Khai before the connecting train heads to Thanaleng.
Vientiane to Luang Prabang
The jewel in Laos' crown is Luang Prabang, a city of French and Buddhist colonial buildings next to a river and nestled in mountains. You can travel from Vientiane to Luang Prabang by river boat or bus, as follows:
* Vientiane - Luang Prabang by VIP bus, 10 hours, 2 morning departures, about 140,000-170,000 Kip one-way.
* Vientiane - Luang Prabang by air-con bus, 10 hours, 2 morning departures, about 120,000-130,000 Kip one-way.
* Vientiane - Luang Prabang by ordinary bus, 11 hours, 5 daily departures, about 70,000 Kip one-way.
* Vientiane - Luang Prabang by 6-seater river speedboat, 11 hours, morning departures, about $20 one-way. One seat61 correspondent has said he did not feel safe on the speedboat.
* Vientiane - Luang Prabang by cargo/passenger ferry, 4-7 days, daily morning departures, about $6 one-way.
Traveller's report:
Traveller Bob Fletcher reports: "The name of the bus has nothing to do with the actual comfort. The VIP bus is as high as a double decker with tough suspension. Try riding in the back seat for 11 hours! The Air Con bus doesn't look as nice but is definitely more comfortable. However, neither bus will have it's air con on once it clears Vientiane. All that said, travellers who take a flight to Luang Prabang really miss out on amazing breathtaking scenery.
Cheap Airfare From/To Laos Here !
