Travel Over Land: Chiang Mai To Vientiane

[mauimaggie]

We are in Chiang Mai for another week, then plan to head to Laos. Vientiane and Luang Prabang are our main destinations.

I understand the trains are running, but that would mean going all the way to Bangkok, and I've heard the official information is quite unreliable. Anyone do this just recently? We've used the trains to get around Thailand thus far, but with the current situation we'd prefer to skip Bangkok.

I know I could take a bus to Houay Xai and then a boat down the river to LP, but I haven't been excited about those stories of those boat trips. Are there buses that go this way?

Any other routes? Personal accounts of bus journeys from Chiang Mai to Vientiane?

I'm going to go scout out some travel agencies today for info, but I wanted to see what people said here.

[asanee]

Hello from me in CMai too. WHY the heck do you askt his here? there are 1000s of tr-agents all ovet town and I have passed more as 100 with abundant signs about direct nightbuses-via the Udorn route and bridge=immigration into VTE, with direct transit into VgVieng and even lprabang. Thats farang-only bus but with ameal thrown in too.

IF you had just taken the slight precaution of opening that guidebook it would have mentioned the direct Thai VIP-nightbuses to Udorn from Arcade to connect into the VTE buses there. The guidebooks would also have shown that indeed, even in normal times, the train is not a good option-except for dedicated railbuffs-though you would not need to go into BKK all the way-Ayuttaya would serve too and in normal times have days opportunity to look aorund-but not now.

Even from HXay there are also BUSes on the Lao side into Lprab-but thats-due to how roads are- a big detour via the north-but with chance to stop (do I really need to tell that?). Due to much faster speed-can do in 1 day.

Much better as this forum for real travellers is thorntree on lonelyplanet-yes, also that famous guidebook printer.

For those who cannot stand the idea of possible no luxury-try tripadvisor.

AND yes-there are also daily flights on LaoAir-again: just pop into any tr-agent here. AND enjoy YiPeng tonight!

[Impkenai]

Hello from me in CMai too. WHY the heck do you askt his here? there are 1000s of tr-agents all ovet town and I have passed more as 100 with abundant signs about direct nightbuses-via the Udorn route and bridge=immigration into VTE, with direct transit into VgVieng and even lprabang. Thats farang-only bus but with ameal thrown in too.

IF you had just taken the slight precaution of opening that guidebook it would have mentioned the direct Thai VIP-nightbuses to Udorn from Arcade to connect into the VTE buses there. The guidebooks would also have shown that indeed, even in normal times, the train is not a good option-except for dedicated railbuffs-though you would not need to go into BKK all the way-Ayuttaya would serve too and in normal times have days opportunity to look aorund-but not now.

Even from HXay there are also BUSes on the Lao side into Lprab-but thats-due to how roads are- a big detour via the north-but with chance to stop (do I really need to tell that?). Due to much faster speed-can do in 1 day.

Much better as this forum for real travellers is thorntree on lonelyplanet-yes, also that famous guidebook printer.

For those who cannot stand the idea of possible no luxury-try tripadvisor.

AND yes-there are also daily flights on LaoAir-again: just pop into any tr-agent here. AND enjoy YiPeng tonight!

In case I make the same 'mistake' as the OP, can you enlighten me as to what can we ask here???

[Semper]

Avoid the travel agents and just go to Arcade busstation and take a bus to Udon Thani. From there you have a direct bus to Vientieane. Just make sure that you have your Laos Visa already or the bus won't take you.

[roamer]

Avoid the travel agents and just go to Arcade busstation and take a bus to Udon Thani. From there you have a direct bus to Vientieane. Just make sure that you have your Laos Visa already or the bus won't take you.

And if no visa then any bus to Nong Khai from Udon Thani,

[callao]

I have done this trip before, got a 1 way car rental from avis chaing mai to udon thani airport to airport, cheaper than flying for 2 people more freedom than the bus, its a long run 10-12 hours but goes thru rural thailand and a couple of national parks if I would do it again I d get a car for another day and swing thru Loei valley up to the mekong then to Udon

[chris5346]

hi,

i have been many times mainly to get visas but have also been on holiday there :

it sounds like your just after a one way journey and not coming back to chiang mai ?

where are you thinking of going after laos ?

are you looking to goto the embassy in vientiane to get a thai visa ? because you may want to get visa at the end of your laos trip to maximise your next stay in thailand ?

the boat trip is ok if you travel down the river north to south with the current ,

depending where you want to go after laos but i would enter from the north if i were you and get the boat down to luang prabang and then the bus from luang prabang to vientiene stopping at vang vieng is good too.

there's 2 boat options a slow one that takes ages especially if going against the current or a speed boat that takes just a fraction of the time.

when i went for the first time i went from chiang mai to udon thani night bus then another bus to non khai and then taxi's etc to vientiene .

i got a thai visa at the embassy and then travelled north thru laos ,

i caught a bus to vang vieng took about 8 hours - stayed in veng vieng for approx. 3 days.

i caught another bus to luang prabang took another 8 hours - stayed there for approx. 5 days.

after luang prabang wanted to travel north and come back into thailand so decided to go on the boat but because the current against took maybe 10 hours to get half way (stops for over night at a small village).

the next day we changed to the speed boat which was better only taking 3 hours to houax xai .

one problem i found was because i spent a week or two in laos touring after getting my thai visa this meant my next stay in thailand was reduced , so i wished i had done the trip the other way around, also the boat was too slow travelling against the current.

if i were you i would go north and take boat down to luang prabang then vientiane last .

send some more information and you thoughts and maybe can advise some more,

laos is great if you can do it right.

chris

[chris5346]

hi,

are you talking about the udon thani to vientane express coach ?

will they not wait at the bridge/border so you can get a visa on arrival ?

also there's 2 bus stations in udon thai can you get this express from the outer bus station where the chiang mai bus comes into ? i have only seen the express coaches at the central city bus station.

just a mention there's different quality buses to udon thani - i would definately recommend paying a bit extra and getting the better buses, because it's 10 - 12 hrs travelling.

Avoid the travel agents and just go to Arcade busstation and take a bus to Udon Thani. From there you have a direct bus to Vientieane. Just make sure that you have your Laos Visa already or the bus won't take you.

[roamer]

hi,

are you talking about the udon thani to vientane express coach ?

will they not wait at the bridge/border so you can get a visa on arrival ?

also there's 2 bus stations in udon thai can you get this express from the outer bus station where the chiang mai bus comes into ? i have only seen the express coaches at the central city bus station.

just a mention there's different quality buses to udon thani - i would definately recommend paying a bit extra and getting the better buses, because it's 10 - 12 hrs travelling.

Avoid the travel agents and just go to Arcade busstation and take a bus to Udon Thani. From there you have a direct bus to Vientieane. Just make sure that you have your Laos Visa already or the bus won't take you.

Yes there are different buses doing the route, which is the reason to avoid lying travel agents.

[elliss]

Avoid the travel agents and just go to Arcade busstation and take a bus to Udon Thani.

there are two bus companies doing the overnight run from CM - UDON .depts 7pm / 8pm

one is a quality service , the other death wish tours .

you have been warned .

:jap:

[Semper]

hi,

are you talking about the udon thani to vientane express coach ?

will they not wait at the bridge/border so you can get a visa on arrival ?

also there's 2 bus stations in udon thai can you get this express from the outer bus station where the chiang mai bus comes into ? i have only seen the express coaches at the central city bus station.

just a mention there's different quality buses to udon thani - i would definately recommend paying a bit extra and getting the better buses, because it's 10 - 12 hrs travelling.

Avoid the travel agents and just go to Arcade busstation and take a bus to Udon Thani. From there you have a direct bus to Vientieane. Just make sure that you have your Laos Visa already or the bus won't take you.

Yes. I'm talking about the express coach. No, they will not wait at the border. In fact they will not sell you a ticket if you don't have a Visa. So get the visa in CM (4 days) before you go. The express bus leaves from the city bus station, you can take a tuk tuk from the outer bus station to the city station.