Thailand to Laos - The Bangkok to Vientiane Express Train
The newly opened Bangkok to Vientiane express train line gives backpackers a brand new way of quickly and cheaply hopping between Thailand and Laos. An 11 hour train ride speeds you from Thailand’s bustling capital of Bangkok, heading north, crossing the mighty Mekong River before arriving in the sleepy Laotian capital of Vientiane.
As backpackers, we used this new train line as part of a budget friendly travel day that took us all the way from Bangkok to the cultural hub of Luang Prabang in northern Laos. This is our guide to catching train 133 and our experiences overnighting on this new, convenient and cheap travel solution linking Thailand and Laos.
In this train travel guide:
How long is the train journey between Bangkok and Vientiane?
How much are tickets and how do I reserve a place on the Thailand to Laos rapid train?
The Thailand / Laos border what to expect when crossing by train
The train ride from Thailand to Laos - what to expect, facilities and tips from our experience
Onward travel, the full journey - Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng or even China!
Other transport between Thailand and Laos - planes, slowboats and border crossings
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How long is the train journey between Bangkok and Vientiane?
The journey between Bangkok and Vientiane is scheduled to take 11 hours and 40 minutes. This includes time at the border crossing at Nong Khai train station.
The train stops frequently at stations along the route. In Bangkok you can board at either Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (Bang Sue Grand Station) or at Don Mueang Railway Station.
Bang Sue station is ideal for those already in Bangkok as it is well connected by the MRT (Blue Line) and buses. Don Mueang is a little further out but the ideal choice if you’ve just landed at Don Mueang airport.
The Thailand / Vientiane express line also stops at Ayutthaya, another option if you’re planning to visit the ancient city.
Bangkok's Bang Sue Station has plenty of seating and food on offer. Even if you are early it is not a bad place to wait!
When does the train depart - what are the Thailand/Laos train times?
The Bangkok to Vientiane, Thailand to Laos express train runs once per day.
The train (number 133) departs Bangkok (Bang Sue Station) at 21.25 in the evening and arrives at Vientiane (Khamsavath Station) at 9.05 the next morning. The train travels overnight with an early morning stop at Nong Khai Station at 7.55. This is the station where you will get stamped out of Thailand (see below for more information on the border crossing).
If you’re planning to cross the Thailand / Laos border by foot at Nong Khai via the Thai / Laos Friendship Bridge, there are multiple trains departing Bangkok to Nong Khai daily.
Train 133 is currently the only train that will take you all away across the border to Vientiane without changing.
If you are not taking train 133 then you could travel to Nong Khai where you can make your way across the border independently. You will leave Thailand from Nong Khai and come out on the Laos side at the Thanaleng Border Crossing. To book Bangkok to Nong Khai train tickets, click here.
How much are tickets and how do I reserve a seat on the Thailand to Laos rapid train?
Ticket prices vary by class. The base prices are as follows:
2nd class sleeper air-conditioned - 874 THB
2nd class seat air-conditioned - 574 THB
3rd class seat fan only - 281 THB
You cannot currently book any 1st class seats on this train line. Let us know in the comments if you find out this has changed in the future
Guess which bunk princess got....
We bought tickets in person in advance from Bang Sue train station. We opted for two 2nd class sleepers in an air conditioned carriage. The tickets vary slightly in price depending on whether you want a lower berth with a window or an upper berth without one. Our tickets cost 874 THB for the lower bunk and 784 for the upper bunk.
You can go cheaper than this by booking a seat in either 2nd or 3rd class, but be aware that this is a long journey and 3rd class is fan only.
As the train departs only once a day, tickets can sell out quickly, so plan ahead. We’d recommend booking well in advance to prevent disappointment and disruption to your itinerary. You can book tickets online with 12Go below
There is a slight increase for booking tickets online, but maybe worth it to have the support and reassurance pre-booking offers.
The Bangkok to Vientiane express train will stop at Nong Khai train station for 40 minutes to allow everyone onboard to get their passports stamped out of Thailand.
It was a very simple and efficient process. We got off the train, leaving our luggage behind and queued up on the platform. We got our passports stamped and the train pulled forward to meet us on the other side of the immigration checkpoint. Once everyone had gone through the checkpoint, the train crossed the Mekong River, over the Thailand / Laos Friendship Border Bridge and we were in Laos!
Laotian visa on arrival
You officially get stamped into Laos at the train's final destination of Vientiane (Khamsavath Station). At the station you can buy a visa on arrival.
A visa on arrival for Laos will cost you $40 USD or 1700 THB (it is slightly more expensive to pay in baht). If you choose to pay in USD make sure the notes are pristine as they will not accept any old, faded, folded or ripped notes. You will need a passport photo for the visa as well.
If you did not bring cash it's not the end of the world, you can get cash out from a foreign exchange booth at the station - just ask a guard as it's technically across the border. If you do not have a passport photo, they will just charge you a little bit more on top of the visa cost.
Laotian EVisa
At the moment the Laos eVisa is NOT accepted at the Khamsavath Railway Station border point. You cannot use an eVisa if you are coming into Laos on the 133 train.
If you want to use an eVisa you will need to enter on foot from Nong Khai over the Thai Laos Friendship Bridge. You can get off the train at Nong Khai and do this if you are on train 133 with an eVisa!
The train ride from Thailand to Laos - what to expect, facilities and tips from our experience
We were super impressed by how comfortable, clean and convenient the train ride was. As we’ve said, we bought 2nd class tickets in an air-conditioned sleeper coach. The coach was divided into little “compartments” of 4 beds, 2 lower and 2 upper berths. The beds were comfy and came with a clean pillow, sheets and a nice blanket. It was a world away from some of our cheaper train journeys we’ve taken, we’re looking at you India!
The beds came with a power socket and a light, as well as a very well designed privacy curtain. There were tables in each bed zone, a solid metal ladder leading to the upper bunks and even a fold out chair if you wanted to sit in the aisle and look out of the window.
Clean, simple and comfy - just what you need on an overnight train.
Another thing we were particularly impressed by was the luggage storage solution. As long term backpackers, it's always a stressful gamble jumping on a long distance train. Our backpacks, although not huge, are unwieldy and heavy and it is sometimes a struggle finding somewhere convenient to store them. On the Thailand to Laos express train there was a huge luggage shelf in each of the compartments which made storing our backpacks super easy.
The toilets on the train were Western style and were cleaned multiple times during our long journey. There was a small washroom area with mirrors, sinks and soap.
Tips for a smooth train journey:
To make yourself even comfier on your train ride to Laos we would recommend the following:
Pack a long sleeve shirt, jumper or light jacket. The air-conditioning is strong and cannot be adjusted so make sure you don’t get too chilly in the night.
Bring snacks! In the morning you can buy tea and coffee from a seller but this was the only option for food and drink when you’re on the train, so make sure you’ve got something in case you get a case of the midnight munchies!
If you’re sensitive to light, consider an eye mask as the train lights were not turned off during the night. The privacy curtain was okay at blocking the light but if you’re sensitive it was nowhere near dark in the beds.
Remember it's a border crossing and you will need your passports handy! This may seem obvious but you don’t want to be digging through your bags as the train pulls into Nong Khai in the early morning
Even after 11 hours on a train, she is still smiling!
If you’re looking to travel in the opposite direction - from Laos to Thailand, you can catch the same express train heading back. It will be train number 134 which departs Vientiane Khamsavath Railway Station at 18:25 and arrives at Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal at 07:30.
Once you’ve arrived in Vientiane you have pretty much the whole of Laos on offer. You can arrange transport from the Laotian capital to anywhere in the country. Buses and minivans run north to south, east to west. You can easily book them in advance online here.
However, if you’re looking to travel north to Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang or even all the way into China, there is the new, high-speed Laos China railway.
We used the high speed railway to zoom us north to Luang Prabang and it only took us just over two hours. For context the same journey would have taken us over 7 hours by bus!
Using a combination of the Thailand to Laos train and the high-speed railway allowed us to go all the way from Bangkok to Luang Prabang on a backpacker budget within 24 hours. We went from our apartment in Bangkok’s bustling Bang Pho to sipping a sunset beer Laos on the river of Luang Prabang the next afternoon!
After a long travel day, a Beer Lao was well earned.
Laos China High Speed Railway
If you’re planning on travelling onward to Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang via the high speed railway, make sure you book tickets for the 13.30 train departure from Vientiane. This will give you plenty of time to collect your tickets, get to the railway station and head through the security at Vientiane Railway Station.
Trains arriving from Thailand arrive at Vientiane’s Khamsavath Railway Station to the south of Vientiane city (located here). Whereas the high speed trains depart from Vientiane Train Station to the north of the city (located here)
Train tickets on the Laos China railway sell out extremely quickly and can only be bought 3 days in advance. The easiest way to book tickets is via 12Go who will purchase the tickets for you. You can book them through 12go far in advance and (hopefully) they are first in the queue when the tickets go on sale.
Once the tickets have been bought you will need to collect the tickets before you travel. Depending on which agent you choose / train departure time, you can collect them from the train station itself or you may need to collect them from a shop in the city. We had to collect our tickets from Brother Cafe, around a 10 minute drive away from the station itself.
At the train station, despite its size (it’s enormous, it looks more like an airport than a train station) we were not allowed into the station until an hour and half before departure. We had just over an hour to wait around outside. Outside the station there is a covered seating area, ATMs, toilets as well as some stalls to buy food and drinks just outside the car park.
Once the station opens, you have to go through security (very strict, don't even bring a penknife or multi-tool) and head inside.
The train ride itself was incredible. We sped through long tunnels, past towering limestone karsts covered in thick mist and wallowing buffaloes bathing in mud. We crossed over huge rivers and glided across green rice paddies, it was an amazing journey! The high speed rail really lived up to its name and pulled us into Luang Prabang station just after 15.30.
When you arrive at Luang Prabang, head outside the station down the steps to find plenty of minivans waiting to take you into Luang Prabang. Just tell the ticket sellers where your accommodation is and buy a ticket. Tickets cost 40,000 LAK each.
The Laos high speed railway station is massive....and mostly empty.
Other transport between Thailand and Laos - planes, slowboats and border crossings
There are many ways of travelling between Thailand and its landlocked neighbour Laos.
Thailand to Laos by air
For those who are cash rich and time poor, or just want to make the most of a shorter trip you can fly directly between the two countries, usually coming to land either at the country's capital of Vientiane or the UNESCO world heritage city of Luang Prabang in the north.
The flight between Bangkok and Vientiane takes 1 hour 10 minutes.
The flight between Bangkok and Luang Prabang takes 1 hour 40 minutes.
To look at flight options and to book tickets check out the widget below - make sure to check flights from both Suvarnabhumi Airport- BKK and Don Mueang - DMK
Thailand to Laos by river - taking the famous slow boats of Laos
A popular backpacking choice for those already in Thailand are the slowboats. Leaving from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, you will cross the border into Laos at Huay Xai.
At Huay Xai you will board your slow boat to begin 2 days of floating down the Mekong River before arriving at the UNESCO heritage city of Luang Prabang.
We’ve taken the slowboat previously on our travels and absolutely loved it. Check out our two articles on taking the slow boat and our guide to Pakbeng, the overnight stop you’ll make on your way down the river:
Crossing into Laos over land borders
Laos is surrounded on all sides by Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China. You can get between any of these countries with relative ease from any of the major cities or transport hubs. You can book minivans and coaches that will take you across the borders from all major Laotian cities.
Check out 12Go to book your tickets in advance.
For backpackers organising everything themselves, the most popular land borders to cross into Laos from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam are:
Thailand to Laos land borders:
Huay Xai Border Crossing (location) from Northern Thailand (Chiang Rai / Chiang Mai / Golden Triangle) for links to the slow boats to Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha and Nong Khiaw.
Thanaleng Border Crossing (location) from North Eastern Thailand (Nong Khai / Udon Thani) for links to Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang.
Vang Tao Border Crossing (location) from Eastern Thailand (Udon Ratchathani / Isan / Surin) for links to Pakse, Don Det and the 4000 Islands.
Cambodia to Laos land borders:
Nong Nok Khiene Border Crossing (location) from Northern Cambodia (Krong Stung Treng / Krong Banlung) for links to Pakse, Don Det and the 4000 Islands.
Vietnam to Laos land borders:
Phou Keua Border Crossing (location) from Central Vietnam (Quy Nhon / Da Lat / Nha Trang) for links to Pakse, Don Det and the 4000 Islands.
Nam Phao Border Crossing (location) from Central / Northern Vietnam (Vinh / Phong Nha) for links to Vientiane and Vang Vieng.
Na Meo Border Crossing (location) from Northern Vietnam (Hanoi / Ninh Binh / Ha Long Bay) for links to Phonsavan, Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw.
To book your accommodation in Laos, check out the Booking.com for all your choices.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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