Luang Prabang is one of the most charming cities in Southeast Asia and a highlight for any visit to Laos. Calling it a city seems a bit of a stretch as it feels more like a big country town. And within the UNESCO World Heritage protected zone, some parts feel like it hasn’t changed for a hundred years.

This Where To Stay guides shows the best areas to stay in Luang Prabang for visitors.

Where to stay in Luang Prabang guide

Map of Luang Prabang hotels
Best areas to stay in Luang Prabang
Old Town (The historic UNESCO World Heritage area)
Mekong Riverfront (Mekong views with in proximity to old town)
Nam Khan Riverfront (Smaller riverfront area with budget options)
Other places to stay (Resorts outside the city)
How to get to Luang Prabang

Map of Luang Prabang hotels

Hotels mentioned in this article are pinned on this map.

[View map of Luang Prabang hotels.]

Best areas to stay in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is on a peninsula with no through access, so traffic has been naturally controlled. The old town area is very compact, and you can walk anywhere in the town. No matter where you stay you will be able to see everything easily enough.

If you are just looking for the best area to stay, then stay in the old town area as shown on this map.

Search hotels in Luang Prabang.

Beyond the old town, there are a some other areas in Luang Prabang that to consider when picking the best area to stay in Luang Prabang.

Here is the breakdown of the main areas of Luang Prabang.

Old Town

The old town is the highlight of Luang Prabang and the most obvious starting point. This can be defined as the area within the Luang Prabang peninsula, which is bounded by the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. This is within the UNESCO World Heritage zone, and there is an abundance of historic villas, mansions, and commercial buildings that have been converted for tourist purposes. The most historic vats (temples) are in this area, and it’s where you can see the monks lining up for the morning alms.

Given its world heritage status, most of the accommodation here is in the boutique end, though there are some budget options. The budget guesthouses are slightly more expensive than in the other areas, so look outside if you are choosing by price.

Namsok Guesthouse is a budget guesthouse example in this area where you are mainly paying for the location.

Oui’s Guesthouse is a homely guesthouse on the Nam Khan riverfront near the tip of the peninsula.

Mekong Riverview Hotel is in a heritage property facing the Mekong River, not far from where the Nam Khan River meets the Mekong. Check the room type when you are booking if want a view of the Mekong.

[Mekong Riverview.]

Villa Santi Hotel is a boutique hotel in a renovated royal mansion. It’s set in a lush tropical garden in the back streets of the old town.

[Villa Santi.]

AVANI+ Luang Prabang is a 5-star resort hotel on the main road, opposite the tourism centre. It’s a big property, yet unassuming for its location.

[AVANI+ Luang Prabang.]

Mekong Riverfront

Between Phothisalath Rd (the main road) and Khem Khong (the Mekong road) there are numerous little roads that are lined with budget guesthouses and home stays. When I first visited Luang Prabang I just walked around here until I found a place. You can still do that if you want to travel old-school, but these days it’s easier to book in advance as many of them are online.

Chao Fa Ngum Road (pictured here) is a typical guesthouse street, with Phashoke Guesthouse being an example of a guesthouse not bookable online.

[Phashoke Guesthouse on Chao Fa Ngum Road.]

While there are plenty of guesthouses, it still feels residential and not overly touristy. Most of the tourist restaurants and cafes are on the riverfront. There are many ramshackle restaurants overlooking the Mekong River, making it an ideal place to sit and have a drink.

The cheapest rooms are usually a simple private room with shared bathroom. If you are just backpacking around Southeast Asia saving every dollar then these are a good option if you want a private room for a change.

I stayed at Soutikone1 Guesthouse and Villa Philaylack, which are typical guesthouse experiences.

The Mekong Sunset Guesthouse is a basic budget guesthouse that is right on the riverfront. There are dorm beds and private rooms available, and some rooms have a balcony facing the river.

[Mekong Sunset Guesthouse.]

My Lao Home Hotel is a midrange hotel set in a UNESCO-protected property, and is close to such sites as the night market, the Royal Palace, and Phousi Mountain.

[My Lao Home Hotel.]

A bit further down the riverfront is the Relaxful Hotel Luang Prabang. This 5-star hotel faces the Mekong, and the hotel has a shuttle service to the old town area.

Nam Khan Riverfront

Another budget guesthouse area is around the Nam Khan river. This area has more of a backpacker vibe to it, with bars and western food cafes alongside hostels and cheap hotels. It’s no Khao San Rd or Pub Street though, so don’t worry if you aren’t into noisy streets. Like the Mekong guesthouse area, it’s easily walkable to all the sights. Unlike the Mekong side, there is no riverfront road here, so there are only a few actual riverfront properties.

Y Not Laos Hostel is one of the popular hostels in the area that offers cheap dormitory accommodation.

Villa Namkhan River is a small 3-star hotel in a villa featuring seven rooms.

[Villa Namkhan River.]

Merry Riverside Hotel offers hotel rooms with riverfront views.

Other places to stay

Outside of these areas I would only recommend staying if you have your own transport (such as if you were travelling around Laos by motorbike), or if you want to stay in one of the luxury resorts.

While the AVANI is close to town, most of the luxury resort hotels are further out and not walkable to the old town. They usually offer shuttle services in this case.

The La Residence Phou Vao, A Belmond Hotel is a luxurious resort outside the city centre, on a hill overlooking the town. Being outside the historic area affords it more space, with the hotel feeling more like a private estate.

[Belmond La Résidence Phou Vao – Image via Agoda.]

The Grand Luang Prabang, Affiliated by Meliá is downstream of old town and has room with Mekong views.

Outside of the city boundary, Pullman Luang Prabang opened in 2019 on a property of 16 hectares of landscaped gardens.

How to get to Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang has an international airport with connections cities in Southeast Asia and China.

The Laos-China Railway opened in 2021, and there are now services to Kunming as of 2023. Here is my review of 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 for buying tickets.

Here is how to buy tickets for the Laos China Railway.

Buy tickets for the Laos-China Railway

Buy tickets online
Mobile phone app
Ticket offices in Laos
Travel agents in Laos

Buy tickets online

The Laos-China Railway website doesn’t offer tickets online, but you can buy tickets via the online booking site Baolau.

Baolau are a booking site that offer transport tickets across Southeast Asia. Readers have asked me about Baolau as they are not a big brand name yet. Baolau started in Vietnam so I have been using them for years.

I have since taken a ride on the Laos-China Railway to test out the booking process through Baolau, and the process was easy.

Train tickets are only sold up to 7 days in advance (same day plus next 6 days), so you need to mark your calendar for when to book. Tickets do sell out, so book as soon as you know your date. (This was previously 3 days in advance before July 2025).

The booking page shows the trains available for that day and the cheapest seat available.

Click on a train time, and then you will be shown ticket options on that service.

Prices are shown in USD, and there is a commission and service fee added (Nomadic Notes is an affiliate of Baolao).

After making the booking, an official PDF version of the ticket is sent by email. The ticket has a QR code which you scan when entering the station. Tickets are checked to ensure that the name and passport number matches.

The ticket shows the prices in Lao Kip. This ticket from Vientiane to Vang Vieng was 171,000 LAK. The rate from an online currency converter shows $7.70 USD while the booking price was $7.96 USD. This is a reasonable conversion.

[PDF ticket includes QR code and train and seat details.]

You can also collect a printed train ticket at the station if you prefer a paper ticket. Once you do this you can’t use the PDF ticket.

[My paper train ticket at Vientiane Railway Station.]

Book Loas-China Railway tickets online.

Mobile phone app

Tickets can be bought via a smartphone app if you have a phone number from Laos, China, or Thailand.

The app is available on Android and iOS.

Ticket offices in Laos

[Ticket office at Luang Prabang Station.]

Tickets are available at the train stations and at official ticket offices in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

Vientiane Ticket Office: Vientiane Center Mall.
Luang Prabang Ticket Office: Phothisalath Rd, next to Le Pavillon de Jade.

[Ticket at Luang Prabang ticket office.]

In Vientiane, I bought tickets at the ticket office at the Vientiane Center shopping mall. This office wasn’t accepting cash or credit cards when I went. I had read online that they accept Wechat, so I set up my Wechat to make payments. When I arrived at the office I found out they only accept a local payment app called OnePay. I ended up asking someone in the queue to pay for me with their app, and I gave them cash. The ticket offices at the train stations accept cash.

[OnePay and UnionPay at Luang Prabang ticket office.]

The city ticket offices only sell tickets departing from that destination, so that is another inconvenience.

The ticket offices at the train stations have a board showing how many tickets are available on each train. The information scrolls quickly between English, Lao, and Chinese, so I could never read it properly, but there were classes showing 0 tickets.

[Ticket availability shown at Vang Vieng ticket office.]

Travel agents in Laos

Travel agents and hotels in Laos offer tickets for the railway. They are buying tickets in person and add a commission. I have seen agents at the ticket office with a pile of passport photocopies and a list of itineraries.

[Travel agent in Vang Vieng selling bus and train tickets.]

This was a useful service before you were able to book online. They might sell the ticket as part of a package, such as offering a taxi ride to the station.

This train travel guide for Laos railways is part of the Southeast Asia railways 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 the Laos-China Railway.

Laos-China Railway guide

Laos-China Railway map
About the Laos-China Railway
Buying tickets
Stations
Station security
Restaurants and shops
Station toilets
Express and Local Services
Onboard the Laos-China Railway
Seats onboard the Laos-China Railway
Onboard food
Onboard toilets
Views from the train
Transport to stations
International travel to China
Further reading

Laos-China Railway map

[Map of Laos-China Railway.]

About the Laos-China Railway

The Laos-China Railway is 414.332 kilometres, of which there are 258.5 kilometres of bridges and tunnels.

The line is a standard gauge (same as China and Europe) and uses electric-powered trains (EMU). The line is on a single track with passing loops. Express trains have an operating speed of 160 km/h. Local trains and cargo trains travel up to 120 km/h.

[160 km/h on the Laos-China Railway.]

Website: http://www.lcrc.ltd/
Facebook: Laos – China Railway Company Limited

Buying tickets

[Muang Xai ticket office.]

The official Laos-China Railway website doesn’t sell tickets, so the easiest way to buy tickets online is via the online travel agent Baolau.

There are a few other ways to buy tickets, so here is my guide on how to buy tickets for the Laos-China Railway.

Stations

There are 10 passenger stations on the Boten-Vientiane line:

– Boten
– Na Teuy
– Na Moh
– Muang Xay
– Muang Nga
– Luang Prabang
– Kasi
– Vang Vieng,
– Phon Hong
– Vientiane

Station security

The stations have airport-style security where you have to have a ticket to enter the stations and your bags are scanned. Aerosols are listed as a banned item, so my can of deodorant was taken from me.

If you are bringing in water they make you drink a sip of it to prove that it’s not an explosive substance. This is the most sensible system I have seen anywhere for liquid security.

Restaurants and shops

Vientiane has the most variety of shops, so you can get there a bit earlier to do some people-watching at a station cafe.

[Pun Cafe at Vientiane Station.]

The main stations have cafes and convenience shops.

[Cafe Amazon at Vang Vieng.]

The stations are built in undeveloped areas, so there are no shops nearby. There are some roadside stalls at the entrance to Luang Prabang, but apart from that, don’t expect to get anything substantial to eat outside the stations.

[Roadside stalls at Luang Prabang Station.]

One thing that every station has is water fountains serving hot and cold water. This reminded me of my travels in China, where people bring their own flasks of tea, and where instant noodles are served everywhere.

Station toilets

The stations have the options of sit or squat toilets.

I was once again reminded of my travels in China by the fact that there is no toilet paper. If you have been travelling in Southeast Asia for a while you should be packing your own in your day bag. If you are new to this part of the world, then remember to bring your own.

Express and Local Services

There are two train types operating on this domestic route. The express service travels up to 160 km/h and only stops at the main stations:

– Vientiane
– Vang Vieng
– Luang Prabang
– Muang Xai (provincial capital of Oudomxay province)
– Na Teuy
– Boten (immigration frontier for China)

There is also a local train service that runs at a speed of up to 120 km/h. This one stops all stations and the tickets are cheaper.

Onboard the Laos-China Railway

[Boarding the train at Vientiane.]

When this train service opened it instantly became the most modern and fastest railway in Southeast Asia. The fastest train title now belongs to Whoosh, but it’s still a marvel to see such a train operating in Laos.

The trip from Vientiane to Luang Prabang used to take two days before the expressway was built, and even now it can take up to a day. Now it takes less than two hours to go from Vientiane to Luang Prabang by train.

Here is what the express train looks like arriving at Luang Prabang:

[Train arriving at Luang Prabang Station.]

The train can travel at a speed of up to 160 km/h, making it a semi-high-speed railway. It is not – as some media outlets keep repeating – a high-speed railway. It is an ideal speed for a country the size of Laos.

Seats onboard the Laos-China Railway

The seats in economy are in a 3×2 configuration, so the seats are a bit narrower compared to trains with a 2×2 configuration. It’s still a comfortable ride even in the 3-across section.

[5 seats across in economy.]

The most important thing is leg room, of which there is plenty. You can easily pass someone in the aisle, or recline your seat without guilt.

On my return trip from Vang Vieng to Vientiane my seatmate had taken over my space with her bags. there is so much legroom that I didn’t bother to move her bags for the 55-minute trip.

There are power outlets under the seats, but no wifi onboard.

I travelled in First Class from Muang Xai to Boten, where the seats are in 2×2 configuration.

[First Class seats on the Laos-China Railway.]

Unlike an airline, where the seat hierarchy is Economy-Business-First, the seat hierarchy on the Laos-China Railway is Economy-First-Business. The Business Class seats are in 1×2 configuration.

The local train service has non-reclinable cushioned bench seats in 2×3 configuration.

[Bench seats on the local Laos-China Railway.]

Onboard food

There is no cafe carriage onboard, but there is a snack cart that trundles up and down the train during the trip.

There are hot water dispensers in the train for tea and instant noodles.

Onboard toilets

One of the main reasons that trains are better than buses is that you can go to the toilet whenever you want.

The express trains have the option of squat toilets or sitting toilets.

Like the stations, there is no toilet paper, so come prepared.

Squat toilet on the local train.

Views from the train

There are some amazing views from the train, though once you go north of Vang Vieng you are going to see a lot of the inside of tunnels (there are so many tunnels!)

[Passing through a tunnel on the Laos-China Railway.]

Here is what to expect outside the tunnels.

[View near Vang Vieng.]

[Mekong crossing near Luang Prabang.]

[Second Mekong crossing.]

Transport to stations

Vientiane station is 17 km outside the city centre, so you need to factor in extra travel time to get there. Google Maps said it was 30 minutes in the morning, and we got there in 20 minutes.

Coming back to Vientiane it took about 55 minutes by bus to get from the station to the central bus station in peak hour traffic.

We got a private taxi that was arranged by the hotel for 170,000 LAK. On the way back I got the local bus that goes to the central bus station for 15,000 LAK.

Vang Vieng Station is about 4 km from the city centre. The transport prices are:

Shared tuktuk: 30,000 LAK
Private tuktuk 50,000 LAK
Motorbike taxi: 20,000 LAK

Luang Prabang Station is about 12 km from the historic centre of Luang Prabang, and it took about 25 minutes to get there. I was wondering what the transport situation would be like here as it will most likely be the most popular stop for tourism.

When we arrived we got a shared tuktuk with two Laotians. One of the men was a policeman (he showed us his ID) and we all paid 50,000 LAK each. With the policeman paying the same rate I guessed we paid the correct fare. On the way back I rented a private tuktuk for 80,000 LAK, and my friend went back earlier and rented a private car for 170,000 LAK. The official shared minivan price is listed at 35.000 LAK.

Muang Xai Station is about 3 km from the city centre.

Electric trolley: 5,000 LAK
Shared tuktuk: 30,000 LAK
Private tuktuk: 50,000 LAK

International travel to China

The railway is connected to the Yuxi–Mohan railway, which is the Chinese section of the Laos–China Railway. There is a daily service between Vientiane and Kunming South.

There is a separate international entrance at Boten to clear immigration.

At Boten station you have to leave the train and follow the path to the international section of the station.

You will need to check if you need a visa before booking a train ticket to China.

Tickets for train between Laos and China can also be booked via Baolau.

Buy Vientiane – Kunming train tickets.

Further reading

I have a historical archive of the construction of the Vientiane-Boten Railway.

Read more about Laos railways.

This train guide is part of the Southeast Asia railways 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 tickets Baolau.

Cambodia train travel articles

Cambodia railways – a guide to train travel in Cambodia.

The Japanese train in Cambodia: Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on the KiHa train from Hokkaido

Battambang to Phnom Penh by train

Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville by train

Riding the Bamboo Railway in Battambang

The bamboo railways in Battambang: Comparing the original and new bamboo trains

Indonesia

Railway Operator: Kereta Api Indonesia
Buy Indonesia train tickets Traveloka.

Java train travel articles

Java Railways: maps and resources for Java train travel

Jakarta Airport Rail Link – Train details, and which stations are best for visitors.

Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (Whoosh): A guide to the fastest train in Southeast Asia

Bandung to Yogyakarta by train – one of the most scenic rail journeys in Southeast Asia

KA Probowangi: Train from Surabaya to Ketapang (for the Bali ferry)

Java to Bali by train, ferry, and bus

The most comprehensive online Java Indonesia travel itinerary – By dontworryjusttravel.com.

Sumatra train travel articles

Sumatra Railways: A guide to every train line in Sumatra.

Palembang to Bandar Lampung by train – Riding the coal-subsidised railway of South Sumatra.

Palembang to Lubuk Linggau by train in South Sumatra

Kualanamu Airport Rail Link: The Medan airport train.

How to get from Medan to Lake Toba by train and bus

Medan to Rantau Prapat by train (North Sumatra)

Sulawesi train travel articles

Makassar–Parepare railway: the first section of the Trans-Sulawesi railway.

Laos

Buy Laos train tickets Baolau.

Laos train travel articles

Laos Railways: a guide to train travel in Laos

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.

How to buy tickets for the Laos-China Railway

Vientiane Khamsavath Railway Station Guide

Udon Thani to Vientiane by train

Malaysia

Malaysia railways

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by train

Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth (Penang) with the ETS

Jungle Railway – The best train times and most scenic sections.

Gemas to JB Sentral: The last diesel Intercity service on Malaysia’s West Coast

Johor Bahru to Singapore by train: KTM Shuttle Tebrau

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station: A guide to the most beautiful station in Southeast Asia

Padang Besar Station: crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border by train

Myanmar

Railway operator: Ministry of Rail Transportation

Philippines

Railway Operator: Philippine National Railways

Philippines Train Travel Guide

Riding the remnants of the Philippines South Main Line

Singapore

Singapore train travel articles

Singapore Rail Corridor: The former railway line that’s now a walking path

How to get from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train

Thailand

Railway Operator: State Railway of Thailand
Buy Thailand train tickets 12go

Thailand train travel articles

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal; A guide to the main train station of Bangkok.

Train No. 275: Bangkok to Ban Klong Luk Border (train to the Thailand-Cambodia border)

Train 7 Bangkok to Chiang Mai: The day train through historic Thailand.

Train 261: Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) to Hua Hin by Ordinary Train

Bangkok to Pattaya by train

Getting the train in the troubled deep south of Thailand – A review of the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok, through the provinces of Thailand which have travel advisories to not travel to.

Bangkok to Trang by train, and onward connections to the Trang Islands

Bang Sue Grand Station construction update – The future central station of Bangkok

Bangkok to Chiang Mai by train – Best train times to see some of the highlights of Thailand.

How to get from Bangkok to Vientiane by train

Kanchanaburi to Hua Hin by train (with a bonus stop at the tallest stupa in the world)

The train that will transform Nakhon Ratchasima – A report on my visit Nakhon Ratchasima, where a high-speed train will connect to Bangkok, and eventually to the Laos border.

Maeklong market train

Vietnam

Railway Operator: Vietnam Railways
Buy Vietnam train tickets Baolau.

Travel Guide: Rail Vietnam is an independent guide to train travel in Vietnam. (This is my Vietnam train travel site.)

Vietnam train travel articles

Vietnam Railways – A guide to every line, tickets, and FAQs.

Hanoi to Nanning by train

Train SE22 from Saigon to Danang

Da Nang to Hue by train via the Hai Van Pass

Hue-Da Nang “Connecting Central Heritage” train (on my other site, Rail Vietnam)

Da Lat – Trai Mat Railway – A restored heritage railway in Vietnam

Hanoi Train Street Guide: Where to visit the open sections.

Hanoi to Haiphong by train

Nha Trang to Saigon by train

Saigon to Phan Thiet by train – the easy way to get to Mui Ne

Special Train to the Gia Lam Train Factory (Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023)

Southeast Asia train travel resources

Any questions related to travel by train in Southeast Asia please visit the Southeast Asia Railways Facebook group.

Get a monthly summary of Southeast Asia rail travel news at southeastasiarailways.com.

Southeast Asia train travel FAQs

Is there a Southeast Asia Train Pass?

Southeast Asia is a long way from being developed enough to offer a railway pass that would be similar to the Eurail Pass in Europe. The railway network of Southeast Asia is not extensive enough to warrant such a ticket, and there are very few international connections.

Can I travel from India to Myanmar by train?

Even though the two countries are neighbours there is no rail link yet. There are plans to build a line from Impal in India to Tamu in Myanmar. This would provide an eventual connection from Delhi to Yangon.

Are there any international train services in Southeast Asia?

There are currently three international services:

Bangkok (thailand) – Padang Besar (Malaysia)
Nong Khai (Thailand) – Thanaleng (Laos)
Johor Bahru (Malaysia – Woodlands (Singapore)

Read more here: International train services in Southeast Asia.

Future Southeast Asia railways

One of my projects at Nomadic Notes has been to map the proposed railways of Southeast Asia. To illustrate what is planned for the region I’ve created a map of current and proposed railways in Southeast Asia.

[Click here for larger downloadable image.]

The black lines on the map represent railways that are currently operating, while the red lines are proposed lines.

This map is based on my previous project which depicted Southeast Asia railways as a subway-style map.

[Click here for larger image.]

This map has details of all the proposed railways which are listed here:
Future Southeast Asia – A map of proposed railways in Southeast Asia.

I also write about future railways of Southeast Asia at futuresoutheastasia.com.

[nomadicnotes.com is an affiliate with Tiket, Baolau, and 12Go Asia.]

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 now possible to get the train from Bangkok to Vientiane.

Khamsavath Railway Station map

[Map of Khamsavath Railway Station

About Vientiane Khamsavath Railway Station

Khamsavath officially opened on 31 October 2023, and the first passenger service from Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal arrived on 20 July, 2024.

[Grand opening of Khamsavath 20/07/24.]

There was previously a service from Nong Khai in Thailand to Thanaleng, which is just across the border. The line was extended by 7.5 km from Thanaleng to Khamsavath, making it possible to get the train from Bangkok to Vientiane.

The line from Thailand to Khamsavath is a metre-gauge railway. Khamsavath is not connected to Vientiane Station of the Laos-China Railway, which is on a standard gauge.

Immigration

Trains from Thailand process Thailand immigration at Nong Khai, and Laos immigration is processed at Khamsavath. The eVisa isn’t available here, so check check the visa status of your country before arriving.

[Immigration queue at Kamsavath.]

Train tickets

There is a ticket office for SRT trains and LCR trains.

You would have no problem buying a ticket on the day for the Udon Thani train, but I would book in advance if you want a bed on the overnight train to Bangkok.

[Thailand tickets at Khamsavath.]

Laos-China Railway tickets are also available here, but I would also advise to book in advance.

[Laos-China Railway tickets at Khamsavath.]

The timetable of the trains are shown on the display screen. There is an overnight train from Bangkok that arrives in the morning. That train then returns to Thailand as the Vientiane – Udon Thani service.

There is then an afternoon service from Udon Thani to Vientiane, and that train becomes the Vientiane to Bangkok overnight train.

The sleeper carriages don’t travel to Vientiane. If you have a sleeper bed, then you get on the sleeper carriage at Nong Khai.

Rapid 133/134 Krung Thep Aphiwat –Vientiane (Khamsavath) – Krung Thep Aphiwat
Rapid 147/148 Udon Thani – Vientiane (Khamsavath) – Udon Thani

[Khamsavath timetable.]

There is a display showing the ticket prices to Thailand, but they scroll too fast to view.

[Ticket prices from Khamsavath to Thailand.]

Confirm ticket times and prices at dticket.railway.co.th.

Facilities

With only two trains a day in each direction, there are no shops open here yet.

There is a currency exchange booth at the station, and the rates are reasonable. I check the buy and sell spread between the USD to get an idea if it’s a rip-off booth. I also check the rate on my currency app to be sure. You can pay for transport in Thai baht, but it’s good to get some change here if you are arriving with no Lao kip.

[Check the spread between the buy and sell rates.]

There is a coffee stand that opens when the trains are running.

[Dao Coffee at Khamsavath.]

There is a canteen area for a future food court, but it’s not open yet.

[Khamsavath canteen.]

There is nothing outside the station either, so don’t come here expecting to hang out at a nearby cafe before your train. Maybe the area will flourish in the future.

I arrived at the station earlier so I could get some photos. The station name at the front is a good photo opportunity.

Transport from Khamsavath Railway Station

I was impressed with how organised the transport options are for passengers arriving on the overnight train from Bangkok. Temporary transport desks are set up before passengers arrive, and every type of transport option is represented.

[Transport desks at Khamsavath Station.]

There is a shuttle bus that goes to the Central Bus Station. This station is within walking distance of the old city area of Vientiane.

[Shuttle bus from Khamsavath to Central Bus Station.]

Two-row car service (like a songthaew in Thailand) has more options around the city. They list Morning Market, which is also the name used for the Central Bus Station.

[Two-row car service from Khamsavath.]

Tuk-tuk services are available, which is a good option if you are in a group.

[Tuk-tuk service from Khamsavath.]

Minivan services are available to share or book the entire vehicle. All of the transport options offer services to Vientiane Station for the Laos-China Railway.

[Minivan service from Khamsavath.]

Taxi services are also available. Like every over service, prices are clearly marked to the most popular destinations that a tourist is likely to go to.

[Taxi service from Khamsavath.]

Grab is not available in Laos, but there is the LOCA ride-hailing app if you already have that.

All of these options were there for the passengers on the Bangkok train in the morning. I arrived on the evening train from Udon Thani, and there were no transport options available. There were only 10 people on my train so it wouldn’t make sense for all of these transport options to be operating.

I approached a station worker and asked about transport, and they called a taxi for me. I was quoted 400 Thai baht ($11.77 USD / 260,000 KIP) to go to the city centre. I didn’t know if that was the right price, but it turned out to be the fair price.

Getting from Vientiane city centre to Khamsavath

With only one train a day to Bangkok, there aren’t regular buses to the station. I went to the station with every intention of looking for a bus, but ended up getting a taxi for 200,000 KIP ($9.07 USD / 308 THB).

[The drive from Vientiane city centre to Khamsavath.]

Getting from Vientiane Laos-China Railway Station to Khamsavath

There are bus services from Vientiane Laos-China Railway Station to Khamsavath. There is a bus stop at the exit of the Vientiane Laos-China Railway Station, and services are clearly marked. If there isn’t a service to Khamsavath, you might be too early. Get the bus to the Central Bus Station and go to Khamsavath from there.

[Bus service from Vientiane Laos-China Railway Station.]

Future services

With only two train services per day in each direction, there is not much happening at the station.

Thailand is building a high-speed railway from Bangkok to Laos though this service may not got o Khamsavath.

[Overpass to Platforms 2 and 3 for future trains.]

There is a plan for a railway from Vientiane to Vung Ang in Vietnam, so who knows, maybe one day we will be getting trains to Vietnam from Khamsavath.

[Departing Vientiane Khamsavath.]

Subscribe to the Future Southeast Asia Newsletter to get updates about the high-speed railway project.

Read more about the international train services in Southeast Asia.

This train travel review is part of the Southeast Asia railways guide.

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 of Laos. This service began operations in July 2024 (along with the Bangkok to Vientiane overnight service) when the station at Vientiane Khamsavath was officially opened.

This short service is a more pleasant way to cross the border compared to the bus or van, and it’s a good option if you are exploring the Isaan region before heading to Laos.

This guide covers what to expect on the trip and the border-crossing procedure.

Udon Thani – Vientiane train map

Stations on the Udon Thani – Vientiane train service are shown on this map.

[Map of Udon Thani – Vientiane Khamsavath train.]

Train times and tickets

There is one train a day in each direction between Udon Thani and Vientiane:

Train: 147 Rapid
Depart: Udon Thani 16:00
Arrive Vientiane (Khamsavath): 17:55

Train: 148 Rapid
Depart Vientiane (Khamsavath): 9:35
Arrive Udon Thani: 11:25

Ticket prices (correct as of August 2024):

2rd Class 200 THB

3rd Class 100 THB

I bought tickets at dticket.railway.co.th. The ticket is a PDF copy of the tickets that are issued at stations. You can print it out or show the PDF on your phone.

You could also just turn up and buy tickets on the day of travel. After riding in both directions, I would be very surprised if this service ever got sold out.

Udon Thani Station

Udon Thani Station (written as Udornthani at the station) is in the city centre at the top of Pajaksinlapacom Rd. This is the best area to stay for visitors, so it’s nice to be able to stroll from a hotel to the train station.

Onboard

2nd Class has reclining seats in an air-conditioned carriage. The A/C is often set too cold in Thailand, and this trip was no exception.

3rd Class has padded bench seats with fans.

The windows can be opened in this section, so I prefer sitting in these carriages on short journeys.

With no grimy windows, this is a better section for taking photos and to be closer to the sights and smells of the Isaan region.

[The Isaan region in it’s splendid rainy-season green.]

This is a short trip so there are no food or drink vendors.

The train has a toilet onboard.

There is also a squat toilet, if that is your preference.

Nong Khai (Thailand immigration)

Nong Khai is the last station in Thailand before crossing into Laos. There is an immigration checkpoint the end of the platform, and you need to get off the train with all of your luggage. This is not like a European border crossing where guards come onto the train to check passports.

Passports are stamped at this point, and there is a customs inspection point where you may be required to have your bag inspected.

While this is happening, the train moves forward into the immigration area. You have technically left Thailand in this section. You can board the train again once you have cleared customs.

There were about 10 people on the train when I went, so we were all processed in under 10 minutes. The train waits at Nong Khai for 45 minutes, presumably to account for days with more passengers.

The train on the right in this picture is a sleeper train that will go from Nong Khai to Bangkok later that evening. The sleeper carriages do not travel to Laos.

Crossing the Mekong River into Laos

The train crosses into Laos via the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.

This bridge over the Mekong river is a combined road and rail bridge. The bridge is closed to road traffic while the train is crossing.

[Crossing the Mighty Mekong by train on the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.]

There are flags on the bridge, so you know when you have entered the Laos side of the bridge.

Thanaleng Station is the first station after the bridge crossing. This was as far as the train used to go before the extension to Vientiane Kamsavath. The train briefly stops at Thanaleng to pick up Laos railway workers, but immigration is no longer done here.

The train passes by the Thanaleng Dry Port area, where containers from the metre-gauge railway of Thailand are moved the the standard-gauge railway of the Laos China Railway.

Vientiane Khamsavath

Vientiane Khamsavath is the station for trains from Thailand to Vientiane. Some maps also refer to it as Vientiane-Tai Railway Station. This is not the same station for the Laos China Railway.

Laos immigration is processed at Khamsavath. I travel on an Australian passport, so I got a visa on arrival. There is an area to fill out forms, and it cost $40 USD for a 1-month visa. Laos has been offering visa-free travel to more countries, so check what your status is before travelling.

There were very few passengers on this service, so when I arrived there were no buses or taxis. A station attendant called a taxi for me and I was quoted 400 THB ($11.77 USD / 260,000 KIP) to go to the city centre. Thai baht is useful here, so keep some for your Laos travels.

Khamsavath is about 8 km from Vientiane Central Bus Station (close to the old city area) and it takes about 20 minutes.

Vientiane Station (for the Laos-China Railway) is about 16 km away and 30 minutes by taxi. If you are going on the Laos China Railway you it would be better to get the overnight train from Bangkok that arrives in Vientiane in the morning.

Read my complete guide to Vientiane Khamsavath Railway Station.

Vientiane to Udon Thani

I got a taxi from Vientiane to Khamsavath, and I was quoted 200,000 KIP ($9.07 USD / 308 THB). They don’t have Grab here yet, but LOCA is the local ride-hailing app.

The Vientiane to Udon Thani train uses the train set that brings passengers from the Bangkok to Vientiane overnight service.

[Passengers from the overnight Bangkok service arriving at Vientiane Khamsavath.]

Departure immigration is handled at Khamsavath, and passengers can board the train after the engine has been repositioned.

There were only a few passengers on this leg as well, so it didn’t seem to matter where you sit. I went to the 3rd Class carriage even though I had a 2nd Class ticket. I switched to 2nd Class in Thailand,

See you again, Laos!

Inbound immigration into Thailand is at Nong Khai, and there is also a 45-minute wait for the onward service to Udon Thani.

Nong Khai is worth a visit, so you could also get off here instead of going to Udon Thani.

The train arrives at Udon Thani at 11:25. If you are a day-tripper from Vientiane, that gives you 4 hours and 35 minutes to have lunch and go shopping.

[Vientiane train arrived at Udon Thani.]

People from Vientiane use Udon Thani Airport, and you can get a tuktuk from the station to Udon Thani Airport for 150 THB.

Future services

I was concerned that there were so few passengers on the Udon Thani – Vientiane service that it might not be viable in the future.

The train service from Vientiane to Udon Thani is how the State Railway of Thailand returns the overnight train to Thailand. The SRT need to run this service, even if there aren’t many passengers.

I tried to book tickets on the overnight Bangkok to Vientiane service but it was booked out weeks in advance. I was glad to see so many passengers arriving at Vientiane from Bangkok, so this Udon Thani service should survive.

What I would like to see is the trains timed with the day train between Bangkok and Udon Thani. The day service that runs from Bangkok to Nong Khai (Train #75) departs Bangkok at 8:45 and arrives in Udon Thani at 16:55, so it’s too late to connect to the Udon Thani – Vientiane service.

The current service runs on the single-track metre-gauge railway, but it will eventually be double-tracked. The double-tracking will mean faster and more frequent services, so maybe there will be the option for a day train from Bangkok to Vientiane.

Thailand is currently building a high-speed railway from Bangkok to Nong Khai, which will connect to the Laos China Railway in Vientiane. This project is behind schedule so it will be years before there is a high-speed rail service from Bangkok to Vientiane. This new railway will make the metre-gauge redundant, and I have not found any logical explanation as to why the SRT are building two separate railways in the same corridor. I have written more about the mixed-gauge mess of Thailand’s railways.

For now, enjoy the ride in a 3rd Class carriage with the windows open. There are few international trains that offer that option, and it will soon be a thing of the past.

Subscribe to the Future Southeast Asia Newsletter to get updates about the high-speed railway project.

Read more about the international train services in Southeast Asia.

This train travel review is part of the Southeast Asia railways guide.

Vang Vieng became famous for being a big backpacker town, with people drawn to its karst topography and the river that runs through the landscape. I visited in 2010, and at its peak it was like a Wild West town for backpacker hedonism.

The town was best known for tubing down the river and stopping at makeshift bars along the way. “Tubing in the Vang Vieng” singlets could be seen all around Southeast Asia, worn by backpackers who had been there, done that.

[Tubing In The Vang Vieng singlets from 2010.]

I returned to Vang Vieng in 2022 as part of my trip to visit every major station on the Laos-China Railway. Many things have changed since my last visit. The fact that I got a train there is of course the biggest change; something I would not have dreamed of being a possibility while crammed into a small seat in a slow minivan ride.

It previously took the better part of a day to travel from Vientiane to Vang Vieng. Now the train makes the trip in 1 hour, so it’s possible for Vientianites to have weekends away in Vang Viang.

[“Vang Vieng Railway Station” is a combination of words I wouldn’t have imagined saying in 2010.]

I arrived by train from Muang Xai, and the station is around 4 km from the town centre.

I was here about a month after Laos had reopened, so the country was still dusting off the cobwebs while foreign tourists were still trickling in.

I made a booking for a guesthouse only to discover that it had closed down. Online travel agents who had laid off staff during the pandemic were not keeping up with updating their listings. This had happened to me a few times in this early reopening period.

The first place I stayed at was a guesthouse in the town, and I could see the mountains from my room. I forgot how beautiful this place is.

[View from Vang Vieng Camellia Hotel.]

Vang Vieng is one of those place that people tend to dismiss because it was a pillar destination on the banana pancake trail. In honour of being back, after I dropped my bags off I got myself a banana pancake.

One of the weirdest aspects of my last visit was all the backpacker bars that were playing Friends. Everywhere you walked you could hear the Friends theme song playing. Now I was here when there were only a few backpackers about, and many of the bars hadn’t reopened.

In the years since my last visit, the tubing business had become controversial as there were a number of deaths. I went tubing in 2010, and apparently there were 27 deaths in 2011. The combination of alcohol and water activities was never a good mix. The bars along the river also had slides and rope swings, which launched drunken tubers into the river. I don’t drink, so it was an odd experience to be a sober person floating through this party scene. The tubing business was closed down around 2012.

Vang Vieng is still an adventure travel destination, and tubing is still offered but it’s not like it was in 2011.

Vang Vieng has worked to change its reputation. There is less emphasis on tubing now, and more on other water activities such as kayaking.

I saw kayakers but no tubers on my walks along the river.

There has also been a pivot to higher-ticket activities such as dune buggies and hot-air ballooning.

I saw advertising for hot-air ballooning at travel agencies around town, and found more people talking about going hot-air ballooning on forums.

I saw balloons floating around during the day.

In addition to promoting more expensive activities, there appears to be more of a focus towards Chinese and South Korean tourists.

Marketing to Chinese makes sense now that there is a direct train line from Kunming. I was puzzled by the amount of signs in Korean, but I looked up the Vientiane Airport wiki from 2019 and saw that there were flights by four different airlines from Seoul and Busan. Also in the years that I was away, a new motorway had opened between Vientiane and Vang Vieng, reducing the road trip to two hours. Now that the trip takes 1 hour by a nice train ride, Vang Vieng may see more Korean tourists.

The border to China wasn’t opened when I was here, and South Korea reopened a week after I was here. It was truly weird to be here with so few tourists. I expect I will be back to do another train trip, so I will make another comparison.

On this trip I was more interested in seeing what Vang Vieng was like during this window of time when there were still few tourists. I wanted to experience local stuff like going to the morning markets. It was also good to be here during the rainy season to see the misty mountains.

There are some decent cafes here now, and I was happy to see that Naked Espesso from Vientiane was here. If there were a few more awesome cafes like this it would be a better digital nomad town (for me at least).

Vang Vieng is still without the major F&B chains that you see everywhere. I started this trip in Vientiane, and Starbucks were preparing to open their first store in Laos. It doesn’t look like they are coming here, though if there is a modern train in Vientiane then a Starbucks isn’t such a outrageous idea.

Cafe Amazon from their big neighbour in the south is here, so maybe we should expect Luckin Coffee from their big neighbour in the north, or Highlands Coffee from their big neighbour to the east.

[Cafe Amazon from Thailand in Vang Vieng.]

The best cafes are still the ones along the riverfront.

I was also here looking for stories on behalf of my other site, Future Southeast Asia. In my wanders around town I was gravitationally drawn towards unfinished hotels and apartment blocks.

There were also some big hotels being built close to the river that have been abandoned. They seem too close to the river, and it would be a shame if the entire river area was filled in with this type of development.

Walking along the river is the highlight of Vang Vieng for me.

It doesn’t take much of a walk before you are in a rural landscape.

I would occasionally think that this would be a nice place to live. I saw these ‘For Sale” signs and wondered if they snared people having the same thoughts.

I was happy to enjoy this view of the river without having to tube down it.

This was my last stop of this train-themed trip. After Vang Vieng I got the train back to Vientiane. Here is my Laos-China Railway review.

Boten is a town in Laos on the China–Laos border and the most northern stop on the Laos-China Railway, which was what brought me there. Boten is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) that features in the news for all the wrong reasons. I have been keeping track of Boten news and construction projects at Future Boten.

I got the train to Boten only to find out that I couldn’t go to Boten. I will return on another trip I have planned, but I post this as a historical archive of Laos after the international lockout.

I rode the length of the Laos-China Railway in May 2022, not long after the country reopened. My plan was to stay at every city with a major stop (Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Muang Xai, and Boten).

Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang are well-trodden destinations with plenty of accommodation options. I couldn’t find anywhere online to stay in Muang Xai, but at least there is a Travelfish guide. There were no online hotel listings for Boten at the time of my visit.

On the Google Satellite map it appeared that the station was a few kilometres away from the main town. I figured I would turn up and look for a ride and then walk around looking for a room.

I got the train from Muang Xai, and for the first time on my journey on this railway, the passenger numbers thinned out. The trains were full from Vientiane to Muang Xai. The border to China wasn’t open at this point, so no one had a reason to go to Boten.

As the train got closer to Boten the landscape changed from green hills to a dusty red landscape of cleared land. There was a big road with trucks everywhere.

The train arrived in Boten, and the few remaining passengers had transport waiting for them.

There was no bus service, so I was left scratching head wondering what to do.

Luckily in this part of the world there is always a motorbike rider who is around to offer you a ride. I pointed on the map where I wanted to go, to the utter bafflement of the rider. I was probably charged 5 times the going rate, but at this point I didn’t have any alternative transport options as bargaining chips.

We drove along a road that was lined for kilometres with parked trucks. Boten is one of the major land borders between China and Southeast Asia. Most of these truck would have driven through Laos.

China still had stringent covid testing and control measures when I visited, so there was a backlog of trucks trying to get into China.

We soon arrived at the outskirts of Boten town, though it is looking more like a city now.

There was a big construction fence around the city, which I was to find out doubled as a quarantine border.

I got to a construction gate that looked like the main entrance to the city. Everyone was confused about why I was there. The security guards didn’t know what to do with me, and the motorbike driver seemed reluctant to drop me off here. Most of the workers here were Chinese, but eventually someone who spoke English came to my aid. I could enter Boten but I would need to take a covid test first.

There was a shack by the side of the road where covid tests were being conducted, and a waiting area with truck drivers waiting for results. I was thrice vaccinated at this point, but I decided that this was not the place to find out that I was asymptomatic and then get detained in a quarantine facility on the Laos-China border. I concluded that I didn’t need to go to Boten that badly, so I declined.

Luckily my motorbike taxi man was still here (like where else would he be?) and I got charged the same fare to go back to the station. I got him to take a photo for me when we drove back to the station.

And I took a photo of him. Maybe he is still wondering why that random Australian wanted to go from the station and back.

I got back to the station, and fortunately I arrived before the last train of the day departed. The trains had been selling out on all the sections from Muang Xai to Vientiane, so I booked a ticket back to Muang Xai and booked a ticket the next day for Vang Vieng.

My main mission on this trip was to see the main station of each main stop, so I didn’t mind that I had a couple of hours to wait until the last train.

That was my brief non-visit to Boten. My future plan is to get the train all the way to Kunming, so I will stop here next time to have a look around.

Muang Xai is the capital city of Oudomxai Province in Northern Laos. The city is one of the main stops of the Laos-China Railway, which was what brought me there.

Muang Xai isn’t a touristy city, but I wanted to see what it was like and if the railway could change its fortunes. I also like visiting unremarkable provincial cities after being somewhere touristy. I had just come from Luang Prabang, so the contrast was welcome.

Muang Xai Station

The Muang Xai railway station is only 3 km from the city centre, which is more convenient than the Luang Prabang station (16 km) and Vientiane station (about 20 km).

There is no direct road to the city centre, so it is reached by travelling via small back roads, some of which are in poor condition.

The shared tuk-tuk from the train station dropped me off on the main road, and from there my guesthouse search began.

Notes on Muang Xai

There were no guest houses available on the hotel booking sights when I looked. This was another sign that Muang Xai isn’t the most frequently visited place. It was refreshing to have a taste of old-school travel and turn up with some addresses of guest houses marked on my map. I walked to the nearest place and booked a room for 120,000 LAK (about $9.35 USD).

[Litthavixay Guesthouse.]

My initial plan was to use Muang Xai as a launchpad to explore the region on motorbike, but as with my experience in Luang Prabang, I was visiting during a fuel shortage. Many of the petrol stations were closed, so riding a motorbike for leisure wasn’t going to be an option.

Muang Xai is basically a highway with a series of unorganised lanes. Looking on the map it was hard to tell where the city centre is.

I looked on Google Maps and picked out some promising restaurants and cafes, and marked out some temples. I used these points as places to walk to.

The Muang Xai map by Hobo Maps is also a helpful map for looking for interesting landmarks.

The Oudomxay Provincial Museum is on a hill in the city centre.

It is worth going up here for the walk through the trees.

Another good walk is up the hill to Phu That Pagoda.

Phu That Pagoda.

There is a good view of Muang Xai from here. The city is in a valley surrounded by mountains, which partly explains the lack of straight roads (not that that’s an excuse for bad urban planning).

Muang Xai has an airport that is in the city centre (see map). I walked there, mainly because how often can you say you can walk to the city airport. If I was a true planespotter I would have looked up the flight timetable and found a good spot to photograph planes. There are not enough flights, so I didn’t bother looking.

Muang Xai might have the distinction of being the first airport in Southeast Asia to have a flight route cancelled due to a new competing train service. The Vientiane to Oudomxay service has been cancelled because it can no longer compete with the railway.

The next day I went out looking for breakfast I and saw some monks doing their morning alms, without the Luang Prabang crowds.

Oudomxai Province has a border with Yunnan Province in China, so it wasn’t surprising to find cars with Chinese number plates in the city.

Electric bikes of the type that you see in Chinese cities are now being sold here. Sales may increase if the fuel crisis becomes a regular occurrence. It’s too bad there aren’t any long-range bikes yet.

Food in Muang Xai

My first order of business upon arrival was to find something to eat. I saw Mrs Khek Noodle on Google Maps so I walked to that. It was a big place with plenty of people inside, so that was a good sign.

A memorable bowl for my first meal in Muang Xai.

I made the most of eating Laos-style Khao Soi while I was here.

There is a night market in the city centre.

There is food court here, and in a town with nothing much else to do its a good place to hang out at night.

After seeing the morning monks I found a Chinese restaurant that had proper Chinese street food breakfast outside.

They had Bbozi (Chinese steamed buns) and scallion pancakes made fresh on the spot.

Cafes in Muang Xai

There are not many cafes here, so that was an adjustment after the multitude of hipster cafes of Luang Prabang. I saw there was a cafe at the President Raysone Library (Kaysone Phomvihane was President and Prime Minister of Laos in his lifetime).

They serve Vietnamese coffee here, so that seemed appropriate to order while in eyeshot of Uncle Ho.

I went to Charming Lao Coffee inside the Charming Lao Hotel. This looked like a nice place to stay, and it was the only place I saw foreigners. They appeared to be NGOs attending a meeting.

The most interesting cafe I saw in my wanders was the Hong Tieng Coffee and Bar. I was lured by the reuse of this beautiful brick building.

I went during the day when it has cafe vibes, and at night it shifts into bar mode.

Tourism in Oudomxai Province

I was wondering how Muang Xai could entice tourists off the train and explore Oudomxai Province. It would be a hard sell to get people to stay in Muang Xai, as the only noticeable visitors I saw here were NGOs and Chinese workers. There are now probably more urban connoisseurs like myself that are getting off the train out of curiosity, but not enough to sustain a tourism industry here. I was here only a month after the country had reopened, so it wasn’t a good time to judge tourism numbers.

What Muang Xai needs to do is to promote its provincial wonders. I noticed a sign at my guesthouse promoting the Namkat Yolapa Resort in the forest outside the city (check rates here). The hotel is about 20 km from the train station, and 40 minutes drive according to Google Maps.

In terms of infrastructure, I would like to see transit hubs built at every train station. The main bus station of the city should be built next to the train station, and have cafes and travel agents there, like there used to be outside Bangkok Hua Lamphong Station (before it moved to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal).

There is enough space to do this in Muang Xai (here is the view from the station).

If you look at Hobo Maps again, you can see the North Bus Station in the city centre, and the South Bus Station is so far away that I didn’t even bother going to. The North station was closed when I was there, so couldn’t find what bus services were running from Muang Xai.

If Laos wants the railway to benefit the rest of the country, then they need to make better connections from the train stations, otherwise everyone is just going to go to Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. Make it as easy as possible for people to find other places to go to.

2024 has been designated at Visit Laos Year 2024. The country has practically bankrupted itself on building this railway, yet there is no functioning website to book tickets. I would like to see a functioing website that gives me a list of options of things to do at each station. This is a job for a local travel writer to do. (This is also why AI will never make a useful travel guide, at least for places that aren’t being written about, because it has no previous content to plagiarize.)

Departing (and returning) to Muang Xai

In addition to the old tuk-tuks, there is an electric trolley service that operates from the main road to the train station, so I took that.

My next stop on this train trip across Laos was Boten. It turned out to be a short trip as I couldn’t enter Boten (nore on that next time!), so I came back to Muang Xai on the last train of the day and stayed at Oudomphet Guesthouse. After that I went to Vang Vieng.

I visited Luang Prabang by train from Vientiane shortly after Laos reopened in 2022. While Luang Prabang was abnormally quiet then, it was evident that Luang Prabang would be transformed by the Laos-China Railway. This is my trip report and general observations.

Visiting Luang Prabang before the train

My first visit to Luang Prabang was by an overnight bus from Huay Xai on the Laos-Thailand border. I forget exactly how long the bus took, but it left in the afternoon and arrived after sunrise. It was a gruelling trip, and I remember wishing there was a train instead.

Since that trip I became more interested in transport in Southeast Asia, to the point that is is now my job at Future Southeast Asia.

While a train on that route would be the ultimate fantasy railway, I discovered a map from a mad dreamer in China who had the same idea of connecting Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai via Huay Xai.

That’s extremely unlikely to happen, but what I didn’t know at the time of that bus trip was that there had been plans for years for a railway from China to Laos.

I returned to Luang Prabang in 2018 to observe the construction of the Laos-China Railway. At the time it seemed unbelievable that such a large project was happening in little Laos. I planned to visit it as soon as it opened, but the covid pandemic had other plans.

Visiting Luang Prabang after the reopening

The railway opened in December 2020, but Laos remained closed for international travel until May 2022. When it was announced that Laos was about to reopen, I was in Thailand and ready to make the trip. I ended up crossing into Laos about 2 weeks after the country reopened.

I went to Vientiane and waited for an expat friend from Saigon who was to join me on this trip. We then got the train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, and I have already written my trip report for the railway in Laos.

We were in Luang Prabang at an unusual time in history. With international travellers only trickling in, the town was quiet and many places were still closed. I kept running into the same few travellers who also happened to be here.

For Sale/For Rent signs were prominent around the city.

The night market is usually bursting with people, so it was unusual to be walk down the street with as much space as this.

The border with China was still closed as well, shutting off an important tourism market for Laos. I noticed many Thais on the train, which makes sense as this is an easy trip to satiate the pent-up demand for international travel. There is also the fact that Laos now has a better railway than anywhere in Thailand, so there would have been train tourists like myself. Thai travellers would have made up most of the visitors here.

We were here during rainy season, which would also be a factor in the lower numbers compared to peak season. More Europrean visiotrs come in the dry season, when it is winter in Europe.

Rainy season is not as bad as it sounds. A typical rainy season day rains in the afternoon, so if you are lucky you can get stuff done then be back at your hotel for siesta while it is raining. The rain makes everything fresh and green, and it keeps the rivers topped up.

Food in Luang Pranbang

Fortunately some of my favourite local places survived the pandemic. I was dreaming of a khao soi place for my first meal back, but I wasn’t sure if it would be open for late lunch when we arrived. We dropped our bags off and arrived in time at the Khao Soi Noodle Shop on the old town main road. This is a different khao soi from what you might be used to in Northern Thailand.

I enjoy the food scene in Luang Prabang as it has influences and similarities from all its neighbours. At the night market I was absolutely captivated by this display of ingredients for Laos papaya salad.

Near the salad vender was a vendor grilling up a meat storm, so there was no way I could walk by without ordering.

Don’t come to Nomadic Notes looking for food explanations though. All I know is that I know what I like, and I liked this very much. Here is an article on the differences between Thai vs Laos papaya salad.

Influence from Vietnam is also evident in khao piak soup.

I was happy to find that banh cuon from Northern Vietnam is also served at the old town market in the morning.

Cafes in Luang Prabang

There are plenty of great cafes in Luang Prabang, and one of my favourite places to hang out at is at Saffron Coffee. They have a seated area by the Mekong, and my friend and I sat by the river for many hours drinking too many coffees on this trip.

There is a little island in the middle of this section of the Mekong, and I observed the river level rise and swallow up the island after a big rain.

The fuel shortage

Another notable thing about this trip was that we were there during a fuel shortage. My friend and I rented motorbikes, only to discover that the petrol shortage was causing queues at all the petrol stations we visited.

(Petrol and gasoline are interchangeable names for the same thing, but maybe we should call it guzzolene in this early-stage dystopia.)

[Cars queue for petrol in Luang Prabang.]

It didn’t seem right to go for a joy ride through the countryside burning precious guzzolene, when that tank I used could have got someone to work. After looking at the queue we decided to return the bikes. At least my friend got something out of the trip, as he wrote an article about the Laos fuel crisis.

Future tourism and train travel

In the year since my visit, tourism has been picking up, especially now that the border with China has reopened and cross-border train services are running. This article about Chinese travellers to Luang Prabang has noticed the change:

“August rains tend to keep visitors away from this picturesque town in northern Laos. But things were different this year.”

I’ve often thought about staying here for a month (which I said last time I was here). For now though I will be satisfied with return visits by train. It seems likely that I will come back to ride the train all the way to Kunming. It might be an easier place to get a China visa, which is a hassle in some cities (don’t try to get one in HCMC).

Luang Prabang will also become easier to get to when the high-speed railway from Bangkok to Nong Khai is finished. There is also meant to be a new cross-border train from Nong Khai to Vientiane before the high-speed rail is finished.

Beyond Luang Prabang

My concern about the train is that people are only going to Luang Prabang and nowhere else. I would like to see other destinations promoted within the vicinity of Luang Prabang.

I wanted to explore beyond Luang Prabang but the fuel shortage changed my plans. There is also the fact that Luang Prabang is by far the most visitor-friendly destination in Laos, so it is going to take a lot of work to make other places more appealing for a regular tourist who is not going to to an out-of-way destination in a beaten-up bus.

I hope the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) have a plan for spreading the tourism traffic during Visit Laos Year 2024.

After visiting Luang Prabang, I continued on the railway to Muang Xai.

If you are visiting Luang Prabang, here is my guide for where to stay in Luang Prabang. I stayed at Soutikone1 Guesthouse and Villa Philaylack while I was there.