A guide to the Padang Besar Railway Station border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand. Padang Besar is an international railway station in Malaysia on the Thailand border. There is also a separate Padang Besar station in Thailand in Tambon Padangbesa. If you are getting the train between Thailand and Malaysia, you will be going through […]
Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau by ferry
A guide for getting the ferry from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau, including how to buy tickets, port locations, and what to expect onboard. Vung Tau is the closest beach to Ho Chi Minh City, so it’s a popular city escape for Saigonese. The easiest way to get there is by the fast […]
How to buy tickets for the Laos-China Railway
How to buy Laos-China Railway tickets, including buying tickets online, by mobile phone app, ticket offices, and travel agents. The Laos-China Railway is a modern and efficient semi-high-speed railway system, but buying tickets isn’t as smooth as the train ride. The official website at www.lcrc.ltd doesn’t sell tickets, and there are rules and time restrictions […]
Laos-China Railway travel guide
A guide to the Laos-China Railway from Vientiane to Boten, including tickets, train types, station guides, onboard amenities, and transport to stations. The Laos-China Railway is a semi-high-speed railway in Laos that operates from Vientiane to Boten, with main stations in Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and Muang Xai. Here everything you need to know about […]
Southeast Asia train travel guide
A guide to train travel Southeast Asia, featuring resources for buying tickets and reviews of rail travel in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia railways index Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Southeast Asia train travel resources Southeast Asia train travel FAQs Future Southeast Asia railways Cambodia Railway Operator: Royal Railway. Buy Cambodia train […]
Travel Newsletter by The Travel Wire – Best travel reads of the week
Introducing The Travel Wire: A weekly travel newsletter the curates the best travel reads from around the web. About The Travel Wire I was previously curating travel reads as part of the Nomadic Notes Newsletter. I use the Nomadic Notes Newsletter to post site updates and other news that doesn’t make it onto Nomadic Notes. […]
Vientiane Khamsavath Railway Station Guide
A guide to Vientiane Khamsavath railway station, including station amenities, tickets, and transport to and from the station. Vientiane Khamsavath railway station (also known as Khamsavath railway station and Vientiane-Tai railway station) is a railway station that connects Vientiane to Thailand’s Northeastern Line. The new station and railway extension from the border means that it’s […]
Udon Thani to Vientiane by train: cross the Mekong on this local international rail service
Edit: The service from Udon Thani was cancelled on 1 May 2025 due to lack of demand. The same service now operates from Nong Khai. I will leave this post as an archive of the short-lived Udon Thani-Vientiane train service. The Udon Thani to Vientiane train is a service connecting Northeast Thailand to the capital […]
International train services in Southeast Asia
Travel by train is a great way to experience international overland travel in Southeast Asia. It’s more comfortable than a bus, and less hassle than international air travel. At the moment though there are only a few international train routes that are operating. This will change in the future with new international services planned, and […]
Notes on Siantar: things to do while waiting for the train in North Sumatra
Pematangsiantar (also known as Siantar) is city in North Sumatra Province of Indonesia, and it’s the second-largest city in North Sumatra after Medan. Siantar not a city on the tourist trail, but I ended up here on the way back from Lake Toba to Medan. There is a train from Siantar to Medan, and I […]
