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Overland travel to Laos

...including Vientiane-Bangkok & Vientiane-Hanoi.

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Train operator in Laos:

There are no trains in Laos.  Buses link it with Vietnam & Thailand.

Time:

GMT+7

Currency:

£1 = 18,338 New Kip,  $1 = 10,420 New Kip.    Currency converter

Tourist information:

  -           Map of train routes in Southeast Asia

Visas:

Required by UK citizens.

Page last updated:

6 July 2007

If you have the time, you can reach Laos overland from London or anywhere else in Europe, using the Trans-Siberian Railway to Beijing in China, the twice-weekly Beijing-Hanoi soft sleeper train, then a bus from Hanoi to Vientiane.  See the Vietnam page for more information on the London-Hanoi journey, see below for Hanoi to Vientiane bus information.

It's possible to take a bus from Hanoi to Vientiane, although it's reportedly a rough ride in a very basic bus that takes 24 hours, sometimes more, on poor roads though mountainous areas.  Buses leave Hanoi at 19:00 for Vientiane, and Vientiane at 18:00 for Hanoi.  Fare about $15-20.  Please check times and fares locally.  Feedback from travellers would be very welcome..!  There are also reportedly buses from Hue and Danang to the border, for onward buses to Vientiane.

Traveller's reports:

Round-the-world traveller James Weld reports:  " I just did the bus journey from Hanoi to Vientiane by bus.  It costs $15 on the cheap bus which was adequate.  It took 20 hrs starting at 7 pm and getting to the border crossing about 8 am.  It took 2 hours to get out of customs and we got into Vientiane at 4 pm.  In my opinion it was worth the overnight journey which wasn't great (it was hard to sleep on the packed bus) then the journey in to Laos was spectacular, great scenery well worth the over night bus journey.  When you get to the bus depot (which is 2kms out of town), a Tuk tuk should not cost more than 10,000 kip per person into the heart of town.  My advice is, get the bus, don’t fly.  Far cheaper, and you get to see some great views." 

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 60,000 Kip one-way.
• Vientiane - Luang Prabang by ordinary bus, 11 hours, 5 daily departures, about 50,000 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.

Get an online quote from both Direct Line & Columbus Direct...

Travel insurance is a boring subject, but it's a real necessity, so make sure you budget for it.  Make sure the cover is adequate - for example, at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover, from a reliable insurer.  Remember that an annual multi-trip policy is often cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just two or three trips a year.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy after clicking these links.

  If you're a UK resident, try Direct Line whom I've used myself on many occasions, or Columbus Direct.

      If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct Australia.

  If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.