Udon Thani To Vientianne

[gravion]

How do i get from Udonthanni to vientianne?

I will arrive at Udon by bus from CM.

There is like 25km in distance?

Cheers for any info.

Also whats the difference between 1st class and vip? price difference is like 100-200Baht, and the staff told me difference is just the seat number...? 32 seats for vip, 42 for 1st class. HUH...?

[FarangCravings]

Ok since no one has replied yet I will give it a go

Diff in buses VIP less seats = more legroom and reclining space for a long journey like that its worth the extra for the bus with the least seats which is the VIP bus

Once you arrive in Udon you need to take a bus, there are 2 bus stations one has buses directly to vietienne, however you need to already have your Lao visa to catch that one.

If you dont have a visa you need to go to the other Bus station and catch a bus to the border I dont know the name of the bus station but its NOT the one near there central indoor shopping center

Once you get to the border check out of thailand and you will need to take a bus over the bridge 20baht once you get off you get visa application form and fill it in and pay your I believe $30 USD best to have dollars else its costs you more in T baht.

Wait for your visa then make your way through to the taxis and tuk tuks. the tuk tuks take you for 50 baht a head, they will fill up there tuk tuk before leaving but they are slow and dusty as shit and it takes about 45 minutes into Vietienne.

Alternative is an A/c taxi PAY no more than 200 baht if they want more be prepared to walk away and find another.

Good luck and have a safe trip

Edited January 18, 2010 by FarangCravings

[StevieH]

VIP bus is more roomy and has a toilet on board. worth the extra money IMO. the morning connection bus from udon thani 2 bus station to nong khai leaves at about 8am and costs 35 baht. they do though let you jump out before getting to nong khai to grab a jumbo tuktuk to the friendship bridge. saves you a chunk of time that.

[gravion]

cheers for the info...

u dont need a visa for certain passport? for instance USA passport?

also where about u get off before reaching? im very keen on cutting times...

as for eating on bus... im assuming u need to take ur own food? do they sell cold beer on board?

Edited January 18, 2010 by gravion

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Gravion,

We think Khun FarangCravings very nicely summarized it for you, but we'll add one thought : if you can get a few other Vientiane bound persons on the bus to Udon Thani to go together with you, you negotiate a truck, or samlor, from the bus station you get off at in Udon Thani directly to the Friendship Bridge : that will save you some time and hassle.

Last time we went, we organized this ourselves, and did the negotiating with the driver since we were the only one of the group that spoke Thai well enough to do so. Six people went in a truck for 100 baht each.

Assuming you travel on one of the VIP buses from CM to Udon, and, when you get off, you do end up going to catch the bus to Nongkhai : do be careful to say, as you are swarmed by wanna-be drivers, that you are going to Nong Khai, not Vientiane : because, if you say "Vientiane" : they'll take you to the bus station that does have the direct bus to Vientiane that does require a visa in advance.

The VIP buses will lay some "junk food" and water on you, but we suggest you take your own more substantial food (if you can eat during the ride, that is), and cold beer if required.

best, ~o:37;

[FarangCravings]

quick note about the beer take it yourself but be discreet when you drink it as on a bus journey coming from Mai Sai to Chiang Mai the hostess reprimanded me for drinking beer not sure if it would be an issue on the Udon bus.

I still drank me beer

[StevieH]

no beer on sale on the VIP but but you can take your own. . . .be aware though that beer usually = more toilet breaks in the on-board WC designed specifically for hobbits and contortionists. take your own food but there is a food stop at about 2am where you can get a bowl of noodle soup with the voucher that accompanies your ticket.

getting off the bus to nong khai, the bus ticket person will usually shout out 'vientiane laos' and the bus will pull over about 40-odd km into the 50km journey to nong khai from udon.

visas, don't know about passports from particular countries but it's visa at border anyway. just make sure you have your $35 or 1500bt with you as well as a passport photo.

[harrry]

save you some time and hassle.

Last time we went, we organized this ourselves, and did the negotiating with the driver since we were the only one of the group that spoke Thai well enough to do so. Six people went in a truck for 100 baht each.

best, ~o:37;

So there were seven including the two of you ....I hope you payed the correct share of the fare

[gravion]

huh... so at udon i could take a jounrney to friendship bridge (vientiene?) which is like 90km by songteau or something? but cost is high if 1-3 ppl.

or take a bus to nongkai then catch a songteau to friendship bridge 25km?

sorry im really depressed and really makes me dizzy when i tried googling....

not luke warm beers...

i need cold beer to get me to sleep i think

sigh border runs... lol what a life..

[dmax]

no difference only seats is about right, vip bus is still good value !!

[StevieH]

huh... so at udon i could take a jounrney to friendship bridge (vientiene?) which is like 90km by songteau or something? but cost is high if 1-3 ppl.

or take a bus to nongkai then catch a songteau to friendship bridge 25km?

sorry im really depressed and really makes me dizzy when i tried googling....

not luke warm beers...

i need cold beer to get me to sleep i think

sigh border runs... lol what a life..

udon to friendship bridge is 50km give or take. but if you take the udon - nong khai bus they'll let you off to grab a jumbo tuktuk to the bridge saving you half an hour at least.

[gravion]

j...jumbo.... tuktuk...?

so im assuming that would be cheaper to get a jumbo tuktuk to friendship bridge while ur on the bus to nong kai rather than picking up tuktuk from udon. u could just say "friendship bridge" to the driver? whats the cost like?

[StevieH]

yes you could and the bus fare is 35 baht.

[gravion]

so where is friendship bridge? it says on nong khai... but on a map pic,there seems to be distance of 25km from nongkhai to vientieene. Vientieene is right at the border right?

i tried googling but still not sure... with http://wikitravel.org/en/Udon_Thani

[FarangCravings]

so where is friendship bridge? it says on nong khai... but on a map pic,there seems to be distance of 25km from nongkhai to vientieene. Vientieene is right at the border right?

i tried googling but still not sure... with http://wikitravel.org/en/Udon_Thani

No

you have to take a taxi into Vietienne from the Border its takes about 30 minutes or so depending on your choice of taxi ie car or tuk tuk

[gravion]

http://wikitravel.org/en/Nong_Khai

says friendship bridge is 2km from nongkhai..... so whats up with this getting off from nong khai bus and hitching JUMBOTUKTUK........?

and 90min to wait for laos visa at immigration...? shizzz

[gravion]

ok cheers for all the useful help...

so last question about returning.... i do not wish to stay long in laos, only for the purpose of visa. so how would i return back to CM?

[Tanaka]

ok cheers for all the useful help...

so last question about returning.... i do not wish to stay long in laos, only for the purpose of visa. so how would i return back to CM?

Whatever you do, do not attempt to take a tuktuk or samlor from Udon to Nong Khai/Friendship Bridge! It is about 50km and would not be pleasant in an open side vehicle like a samlor, never mind a tuktuk. Don't think you could get a tuktuk driver to go there anyway. The last couple of days it has rained in Udon and you don't want to sit in a open vehicle then either.

[orang37]

ok cheers for all the useful help... so last question about returning.... i do not wish to stay long in laos, only for the purpose of visa. so how would i return back to CM?

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Gravion,

As you probably know, there are extensive travel-for-visa discussions here on ThaiVisa which include Vientiane; lots of detailed posts, recent news. Strongly suggest you check out : TV Visa Forum and do a search on "Vientiane," and read the very latest news.

With your valid Thai visa in our passport, you can book a bus from the bus terminal just behind the Talat Sao (Morning Market) in Vientiane direct from Vientiane to Udon leaving at 4PM. But in case you think "direct" means "direct" : you'll repeat the dance you did at the bridge coming in ... in reverse, the difference being you won't change buses. The folks at the bus station will want to see your passport before selling you the ticket (don't know if they'll sell to you days in advance).

Make sure you have valid directions from the main bus station in Udon where the direct bus from Vientiane will drop you off to where you connect to your VIP bus from Udon to Chiang Mai. Suggest you get the company you book from in Chiang Mai to write a note in Thai on the return ticket.

good luck, ~o:37;

Edited January 23, 2010 by orang37

[underpaid1]

hi

i've done the trip a couple of times and went two ways. first time, arrived at udon and took a tuk tuk to a "bus to nong khai" and basically arrived at a bus waiting near a market which took me to nong khai close to the friendship bridge and then another tuk tuk to the bridge.

second time i arrived at udon and saw a bus sign saying bus to nong khai (also says vientiane/ laos on that sign). took that bus and arrived at another station where i took a tuk tuk to the bridge.

so the first trip, i took 2 tuk tuks and a bus, the second trip 1 tuk tuk and a bus. i used the same bus company from chiang mai both times. first time i talked to a tuk tuk driver, second time i just walked past them and looked around.

[gravion]

thanks for the info....