Nong Khai To Vientiane For Tourist Visa

[irisgodd3ss]

Okay, I probably might be asking the same questions already asked by others, so I totally apologize. I just want to do this right.

My plan is to take the bus from Morchit to Nong Khai in about 12 days time. It arrives at Nong Khai at around 7AM and I want to get to the Thai consulate in Vientiane before noon.

How do I get from the bus station to the Friendship bridge and how much will it cost (ballpark)? What do I take (tuk tuk, mini bus, etc.) across the bridge to Laos and (again) how much will it cost? Once in Lao soil, how to I get to the Thai consulate in Vientiane and (yet again) how much will it cost? Is it pretty much the same exercise in reverse going back?

Just want to make sure I don't get tricked fare-wise. I'm not a very good haggler. Thanks so much!

[abdulrahman]

Okay, I probably might be asking the same questions already asked by others, so I totally apologize. I just want to do this right.

My plan is to take the bus from Morchit to Nong Khai in about 12 days time. It arrives at Nong Khai at around 7AM and I want to get to the Thai consulate in Vientiane before noon.

How do I get from the bus station to the Friendship bridge and how much will it cost (ballpark)? What do I take (tuk tuk, mini bus, etc.) across the bridge to Laos and (again) how much will it cost? Once in Lao soil, how to I get to the Thai consulate in Vientiane and (yet again) how much will it cost? Is it pretty much the same exercise in reverse going back?

Just want to make sure I don't get tricked fare-wise. I'm not a very good haggler. Thanks so much!

As no expert has answered yet,I'll try my best.From the bus station to the Friendship Bridge take a tuk-tuk,it should be only be 50 Baht,with a little bargaining.

20 Baht the bus to pass the Bridge,after the stop by the Thai Immigration,36$ U.S.Dollars for the Lao Visa(tomorrow is a Sunday,1$ extra),bus to Vientiane(ask the friendly people around)about 20 Baht(you don't have any Kips I suppose)or taxi,200-250 Baht?

If you don't want to pay the(inflated) price for the taxi,or wait for the bus,walk the 200 meter to the gate and take a hitch on the first Pick-up that pass by,the driver will bring you to as near to the Thai Embassy as he he can without going too far out his/her way.Tuk-tuk or walk to the Embassy(very near)

Ample time before noon!There are sure many faster and more expensive choices!

[moldy]

Easier ways for sure. You can take a very nice vip bus from Khao San, and then return this way too. I didn't discover this option until I'd done the outward trip the hard way.Sorry lost details. Doing it this way you are helped at the various stages and can team up with others. On the return trip we set off at about 6pm and arrived back in Bangers around 6 in the morning. I believe the cost for the return trip was only 800bt or so. If I find the details I'll post again.

Incidentally Vientiane was disappointing ref hotels, but by going to the old town side by the river you are in the lively part of town, and can find somewhere for 500 bt or so.

[Onnutrd]

Okay, I probably might be asking the same questions already asked by others, so I totally apologize. I just want to do this right.

My plan is to take the bus from Morchit to Nong Khai in about 12 days time. It arrives at Nong Khai at around 7AM and I want to get to the Thai consulate in Vientiane before noon.

How do I get from the bus station to the Friendship bridge and how much will it cost (ballpark)? What do I take (tuk tuk, mini bus, etc.) across the bridge to Laos and (again) how much will it cost? Once in Lao soil, how to I get to the Thai consulate in Vientiane and (yet again) how much will it cost? Is it pretty much the same exercise in reverse going back?

Just want to make sure I don't get tricked fare-wise. I'm not a very good haggler. Thanks so much!

Hi there ,

I did this trip already, and hopefully if my memory serves me right, I'd be able to help you out abit..

The bus ticket from Mo-chit to Nong Khai (and vice versa) is approximately 500 - 700 Baht, depending on the time you want to arrive, whether you want air-con, and if you prefer a toilet on board (bus makes pit stops anyway). If you are contemplating on taking a Train in the future, a word of warning, it takes longer than the bus, less comfortable and you face other passangers (difficult to sleep when they're staring at a farang..)

From the bus station in Nong Khai to the Thai Immigration section of the Friendship Bridge you can take a tuk-tuk, as I did. To find a Tuk-tuk once you've arrived at the Nong Khai bus station, there should be some directly parked outside the Government run bus office. If you can't find the office, it's located closest to the area where there is a market. You should not have any difficulty locating a tuk-tuk, there'll be plenty around asking if you want to go to the Friendship Bridge (if you can't find them, they'll find you..)

The tuk-tuk should cost about 30 Baht for each person (I went with my Thai boyfriend, so he could handle the bargaining side of things quite well)..but as a foreigner, you might want to expect to pay just a tad bit more..so budget for about 50 Baht (and your good deed is done for the day)..

In terms of your arrival time, 7am should be just fine (I arrived at just before 6am). You'll have enough time for everything required, in order to submit your documents to the Vientiene Thai Embassy.

Ok so now you've arrived at the Thai Section of the Friendship Bridge and hopefully you've prepared your Laos Visa. From here, you need to make sure you've:

1. Still got your Departure Form (this should have been given back to you when you submitted your Arrivel Form), and it might be stapled to a Visa page within your Passport.

2. Stand in line at the Thai Immigration and let the Immigration Office do his thing..

After this, you'll need to pay an Exit Fee, this 'booth' will be directly behind the Thai Immigration Booth where you submitted your passport. From here, you can purchase a Bus Ticket which will get you across the Friendship Bridge from the Thai Immigration Section, directly to the Laos Immigration Section of the Friendship Bridge.

This Bus Ticket should cost about 20 Baht.

Ok, so you've dealt with the Thai Officials, and now all you need to worry is the Laos Officials. However, if you remember the above, coming back will be a breeze at it's exactly the same but opposite way around.

After getting on the Bus and arriving in the Laos Immigration Section of the Friendship Bridge, again, you need to submit your passport for Visa inspection. From here, there will be mini-buses, tuk-tuks, and larger buses which will take you into Vientiene, or directly to the Thai Embassy, if required.

It might be better to take a Tuk-tuk, as you'd have alot of fun riding down the empty roads with the air in my hair (humour me), and it's a good experience in Laos. This might actually cost up to 200 Baht, but it depends on a number of factors I guess. I went sightseeing a little bit with my tuk-tuk, so he waited for us at our destination of tiki-tours, he also drove us to the Embassy and waited there aswell.

Between 9 - 10 am you might have already arrived at the Embassy in Vientiene. Here, you need to make sure you have all the correct documents. Depending on the Visa that you require to obtain and the nation which issued your current Passport, you may need to supply documents stipulating your Bank info, Education or Work letters, Flight Tickets and so on.

I applied for a Tourist Visa with my New Zealand passport, so I only supplied the Application Form, Passport and 2 Photographs of myself. That was all I supplied, and I got my Tourist Visa for 60 days. Here is the website for the Thai Embassy in Laos, http://www.thaiembassy.org/vientiane/consu...ervices_en.html

The Thai Embassy accepts applications from 8.30am to 12.00 Monday to Fridays, and you need to stay one night in Laos, as Visa Pick-ups are the following day between 1pm to 4.30pm Mon- Fri. Just a word of caution, it might be prudent of you to check the dates that you intend to arrive at the Embassy (it being the New Year period, and I'm not sure the holiday periods of Laos) as the Thai Embassy in Laos also takes leave on official Laos holidays, aswell.

After submitting your passport to the Consular Official, you'll then need to actually go into the Thai Embassy building to pay the Visa Fee. From here, another Consular Official will call your name and expect you to pay the fee, she will then hand you a Receipt. The receipt is important when picking up your passport the following day, so keep it safe.

I suggest you get to the Thai Embassy at least 30 minutes before opening times, if possible, so you won't be standing in line on a hot day. Take a small umbrella with you, so you got shade while you're standing in line. Believe me, it's gonna be hot.

I took Thai money to pay for items in Laos because the people would not accept their own money (I guess they thought they have to charge me a fair price if I use their own), and I found Laos to be less hospitable compared to Thailand. Although I enjoyed the Laos Visa Trip very much, I have to admit that arriving back onto Thai soil never felt better. I could literally kiss the ground.

Ok, that's it from me. Hopefully everything goes well with you and wish you all the best..

[irisgodd3ss]

On the return trip we set off at about 6pm and arrived back in Bangers around 6 in the morning. I believe the cost for the return trip was only 800bt or so. If I find the details I'll post again.

Hi all! Thanks for the uber fab replies. Looks like Im all set for my Vientiane trip and I cant wait.

Just one last question: if I do decide to go the organized bus route, can I book it in Vientiane? Thanks!

[abdulrahman]

After this, you'll need to pay an Exit Fee, this 'booth' will be directly behind the Thai Immigration Booth where you submitted your passport.

?Huh?Never heard about an EXIT FEE.

It might be better to take a Tuk-tuk, as you'd have alot of fun riding down the empty roads with the air in my hair (humour me), and it's a good experience in Laos. This might actually cost up to 200 Baht.

Not really the cheapest way?

I took Thai money to pay for items in Laos because the people would not accept their own money (I guess they thought they have to charge me a fair price if I use their own), and I found Laos to be less hospitable compared to Thailand. Although I enjoyed the Laos Visa Trip very much, I have to admit that arriving back onto Thai soil never felt better. I could literally kiss the ground.

IMHO,they accept readily $$,Bahts and Kips,the latter you find only in Lao.(Bank or money changer.I find The Lao people very hospitable.

Ok, that's it from me. Hopefully everything goes well with you and wish you all the best..