Thai-lao International Bus Udon-vientiane

I was recently on a scouting trip through the Northeast, and when I

stopped at the Udonthani bus station I made a point to avail myself

of what schedule information I could. As another member had posted

a couple of weeks ago, there is now clear signage outside the Thai-Lao

office that "you need a valid visa to Laos to board the bus." Has anyone

ever taken this bus before? That would really seem more convenient

than hassling with the mini-buses/tuk-tuks to the friendship bridge and

then onwards from the other side to Vientiane. It's a given however,

that you would have to obtain your Lao visa from the embassy in BKK

or the Lao consulate in Khon-kaen. Incidentally, these are identical

buses to the ones they have running from Mukdahan-Savannakhet. It

looks to be some kind of gov't sanctioned operation. Now, apparently

reduced to travel for Thai-Lao citizens only? Any info on this?

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บริษัท (baw-ri-sat) 407 is the company that has the overnight vip buses

running from rayong-pattaya-sriracha to udon. their office is at the

petronas fueling station 100m north of the sukumvit/central pattaya

intersection on the left-hand side going to BKK. Ticket price 504 baht.

แอร์ (air) อุดร (udon) runs a similar service from morchit-udon both

using double-decker vip buses. Plan on a 10-11 hour trip. As they still

do stop at major bus stations to replace disembarking passengers.

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