Nok Air Shuttle Bus From Service From Udon Thani To Ventiane Is A Waste Of Time....

[theblether]

Nok Air Shuttle Bus From Service From Udon Thani To Ventiane......

For those that are contemplating using this service.......

You need to print off your booking form and take it with you, when you get to Udon Thani present it to the Limousine Service counter opposite the Domestic Arrivals hall. The mini bus down to the Friendship Bridge takes about 35 minutes ( approx 60kms ) and it's a breeze. So far so good.....

Go through Thai Immigration, again easy, turn the corner and head towards the Bus Rank to take you across the bridge. Look to your left at the Rank and you'll see the Ticket Desk, the shuttle across the bridge costs 15 baht.

Anyway go across, go to Window One and get a Visa on Arrival form. When you complete it go back to that window, they will process the application, so wait at Window Three to get your passport back. You can see the lady to the right waiting at Window 3.

I believe the Visa fee is $35.00, make a point of bringing that with you. I didn't and that was a mistake, I was charged 1,300 baht for the visa, a guy on my bus was charged 1,500 baht. When I processed through Chiang Khong recently the fee was 1200 baht, it looks like they've a great scam going at Laos Immigration.

Has anyone paid the fee in USD recently?

Anyway, to be fair I breezed through Thai Immigration, didn't have to wait for a shuttle bus, and breezed through Laos Immigration, it probably took 20 minutes all told. Other people who travelled with me faffed about filling there Thai departure cards in and missed the shuttle bus that I got. By the time they waited for the next bridge shuttle service and got caught in queues it took them the best part of an hour.

In the end up it didn't matter as I had to sit waiting for nigh on two hours for the Nok Air shuttle bus to Ventiane. That involved sweltering in the heat and being annoyed by sundry taxi drivers, send me a swarm of voracious mosquito's instead please.

It costs 200 baht for the Limousine Service bus at Udon Thani, you'll get a taxi from the Laos side to Ventiane for about 150 to 200 baht, so transport to your hotel door is about 350/400 baht. That's the same as you are paying Nok Air, and not only do you have to wait for the scheduled departure time at 4.00, they drop you outside an office downtown.

So, the Nok Air shuttle service is a fail in my opinion, just book to Udon Thani and use the bus service there then get a taxi from Laos Immigration........

Anyway, does anyone know what this lake we fly over is called? It's about half way between CM and UT.

Looks interesting.

[SteveReilly]

I always take van service from arrivals hall at Udon airport to Friendship bridge. Very quick and about 150 baht. Usually departs right away. Through Thai immigration, then 10-20 baht bus across bridge. Yes waiting for Laos immigration can be long, about 20 minutes but still not so much a hassle when a tuk-tuk waiting there to take me to Ventianne for 100-200 baht.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

> Anyway, does anyone know what this lake we fly over is called? It's about half way between CM and UT.

Google does.

(It's the Sirikit Dam & Lake, in Lam Nam Nan National Park, Uttaradit province.)

Edited July 17, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[onthedarkside]

Post removed - no need to lecture members.

[Saan]

I was about to sat 'nice photo, good composition with the prop in the foreground' and that I found your information helpful. But after reading Maps 424 I must be wrong so I will just shut up.

[theblether]

Post removed - no need to lecture members.

Thanks very much.

The OP is aimed at those within the CM community that are considering using the Nok Air shuttle service as described. Many members will not have made the trip before, therefore I have added a layer of detail that may be helpful to them.

Out with the detail about the bus trip, I'm interested to see if anyone has presented US Dollars as payment recently. It's a fair sting to be charged 1500 baht instead of $35.00.

[Rimmer]

One post discussing moderation removed

[GuyL]

Post removed - no need to lecture members.

Thanks very much.

The OP is aimed at those within the CM community that are considering using the Nok Air shuttle service as described. Many members will not have made the trip before, therefore I have added a layer of detail that may be helpful to them.

Out with the detail about the bus trip, I'm interested to see if anyone has presented US Dollars as payment recently. It's a fair sting to be charged 1500 baht instead of $35.00.

Yes, it's US$35 for passport holders from most countries. I am a French national, and for us, it's US$30 and I always pay using this currency (if you don't have US dollars, you may still pay in Thai Baht, but their exchange rate is much worse for you than what you can get at any local bank). It's better to buy at any local bank the needed amount in US dollars beforehand.

Edited July 17, 2013 by GuyL

[theblether]

Thanks very much GuyL, I won't make that mistake again.

[GuyL]

Thanks very much GuyL, I won't make that mistake again.

You're welcome. Forgot to say, there's a US$1 (one US dollar) extra charge for overtime if you are going to cross the border before 8am (8:00) or after 4pm (16:00) or on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

[mot]

Going to Vientiane from Udon is a waist of time. The flights operated by low cost airlines are schedule in the middle of the day. If I can't afford a direct flight BKK/VTE I use night train...

[mot]

Thanks very much GuyL, I won't make that mistake again.

You're welcome. Forgot to say, there's a US$1 (one US dollar) extra charge for overtime if you are going to cross the border before 8am (8:00) or after 4pm (16:00) or on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

And 1$ extra if you don't have a picture with you!

[Greenwich Boy]

Post removed - no need to lecture members.

Thanks very much.

The OP is aimed at those within the CM community that are considering using the Nok Air shuttle service as described. Many members will not have made the trip before, therefore I have added a layer of detail that may be helpful to them.

Out with the detail about the bus trip, I'm interested to see if anyone has presented US Dollars as payment recently. It's a fair sting to be charged 1500 baht instead of $35.00.

Thanks TB was considering this for my next visa run. Laos visa for UK citizens (think Scotland counts - only kidding) is 35 USD unless you turn up at a time that is considered 'overtime' and then it is 36 USD. The definition of overtime is somewhat vague from what I gather.

assuming you are arranging the trip yourself is the bus from the Bridge back to Udon just as easy to get for 200B?

[GuyL]

Thanks very much GuyL, I won't make that mistake again.

You're welcome. Forgot to say, there's a US$1 (one US dollar) extra charge for overtime if you are going to cross the border before 8am (8:00) or after 4pm (16:00) or on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

And 1$ extra if you don't have a picture with you!

Oh, yes. Never happened to me because I always have the needed photos (including the other two that are required for the visa application) when I am doing a visa trip, but I know that you are right.

[lehmann]

I was 1 week ago and they charged me 1200 baths for visa entry at the friendship bridge. I'm German passport holder

[GuyL]

I was 1 week ago and they charged me 1200 baths for visa entry at the friendship bridge. I'm German passport holder

If I am not mistaken, for German nationals too, the amount of the visa fee is US$30, but they charge more with their exchange rate if you pay in Thai Bahts.

[theblether]

The guy I was with that paid the 1500 baht was British, he got charged 1500 and I was charged 1300 ( I'm a British passport holder too ), weird eh?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I was 1 week ago and they charged me 1200 baths for visa entry at the friendship bridge. I'm German passport holder

It's different for different people because they relate it to the charge those countries charge for Lao people.

( BTW, 1200 bahts, you must be pretty clean now. )

[theblether]

@Greenwich Boy, I haven't got to that point yet, I'll leave it to others more experienced on this run to answer.

I was toying with doing a complete trip report on one of the other forums, I opened this topic as the flight originated from CM and it's specifically relevant to CM members contemplating using this service. I haven't got into the specifics of Vientiane yet.

Briefly a friend recommended I go to the Vientiane Garden Hotel and get them to obtain the visa for me. Being an idiot as I often am, I forgot to confirm the booking, so when I turned up there was no room at the Inn.

The Vientiane Garden hotel then had me transported by Tuk Tuk to the Ventiane Star Hotel. This place is basic but clean, I'm in a three sleeper room with en suite fan and AC, flat screen TV, wifi and a decent breakfast for 400 baht per night.

The staff are great here, I was met with a free bottle of Lao Beer on arrival, in fact a big one at that. I thought was very nice of them. They also invited me to eat with them, as they had just served dinner to the family that owns the place and staff. I thought that was magic.

There's a few things that they can sharpen up on but the young Vietnamese guy that owns the place has only had it for three months. The bonus ball is that they are getting me the Double Entry Visa for a thousand baht less than I was told about at the Garden Hotel. Happy days.

If you have time consider this trip.......

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/644767-trip-report-slow-boat-to-luang-prabang-laos/

That lands you in Luang Prabang, you can then either fly down to Vientiane ( $90 ), or wander down by mini bus taking a break at Vang Vieng.....

http://wikitravel.org/en/Vang_Vieng

About 6 hours on the bus from LP, and a further 4 hours from there to Vientiane. I haven't been yet, I'm heading to see the candle festival at Ubon Ratchathani so I'll do it some other time.

Incidentally the Slow Boat trip is available at most travel agents in CM, I booked mine at Bee Travel just along from Mad Dog.

[rickb]

Everyone always talks about the excellent, cheap van service from Udon Thani to Vientiane. But nobody talks about the return service going back to the Udon airport. This is where I've always had problems. Going to Friendship bridge from Udon I paid 200 baht per person. However, going back I was forced to pay 1,500 baht for a different van service, since I never could find the same van service I came to Friendship bridge with. How do you find the same van service for the return trip?

[cnx355]

And for us Lucky Canadian the visa fee is 42 USD.

I Wonder what Canada did to Laos in the past to get the higher visa price ?

[GuyL]

The guy I was with that paid the 1500 baht was British, he got charged 1500 and I was charged 1300 ( I'm a British passport holder too ), weird eh?

Yes, that's weird indeed. Again if I am not mistaken, the regular visa fee for UK nationals is US$35. I have been told that passport holders from Canada have to pay a US$42 visa fee. Are you sure that the other guy showed a UK passport and not one from another country (he might have a dual citizenship, for instance)?

Or maybe you have been lucky if at the border that day, with their particular exchange rate, you should have actually paid 1500 baht for the equivalent of US$35.

[requiredinfo]

i was there perhaps 3 months ago and there is a bank which will exchange your thai baht to the required u$d just along the wall in the right of the picture. past the actual visa on arrival counter. rates given weren't too bad. perhaps 5% off if i recall.

there is also a big new green bus for around 7000 kip from bridge to town. perhaps hourly.

[theblether]

I think just luck, or maybe just a mistake on the officers part. I'm not going back to give him the other 200 baht though, just in case you were wondering

[requiredinfo]

And for us Lucky Canadian the visa fee is 42 USD.

I Wonder what Canada did to Laos in the past to get the higher visa price ?

i think it was something about allowing too many laos citizens to live there. was ages ago when canada was very easy to get into .for everyone.

[requiredinfo]

And for us Lucky Canadian the visa fee is 42 USD.

I Wonder what Canada did to Laos in the past to get the higher visa price ?

i think it was something about allowing too many laos citizens to live there. was ages ago when canada was very easy to get into .for everyone.

[CTO]

I was in Canada a few years back and didn't have a current visa. knowing I was traveling one way back and airlines don't like a one way ticket to Thailand for someone not with a visa, I bought a ticket on line from Nok Air for Bangkok to Vientiane (Udon Thani and bus across).

Sure enough at the Canada Airlines check in counter they asked for a visa, when I didn't have one they asked for proof of leaving Thailand, I gave them a printed out copy of my Nok Air itinerary, and accepted it.

Note I live near Udon, so the extra few $'s for the bus was money well spent.

Got my visa up to date now

[heazille]

Everyone always talks about the excellent, cheap van service from Udon Thani to Vientiane. But nobody talks about the return service going back to the Udon airport. This is where I've always had problems. Going to Friendship bridge from Udon I paid 200 baht per person. However, going back I was forced to pay 1,500 baht for a different van service, since I never could find the same van service I came to Friendship bridge with. How do you find the same van service for the return trip?

You get a taxi from the bridge into the town at Nongkea to the same company office, then the bus is 150 straight to the airport

When you get your bus from airport to the bridge ask them for the map with there office on.

[CTO]

I was in Canada a few years back and didn't have a current visa. knowing I was traveling one way back and airlines don't like a one way ticket to Thailand for someone not with a visa, I bought a ticket on line from Nok Air for Bangkok to Vientiane (Udon Thani and bus across).

Sure enough at the Canada Airlines check in counter they asked for a visa, when I didn't have one they asked for proof of leaving Thailand, I gave them a printed out copy of my Nok Air itinerary, and accepted it.

Note I live near Udon, so the extra few $'s for the bus was money well spent.

Got my visa up to date now

[theblether]

Everyone always talks about the excellent, cheap van service from Udon Thani to Vientiane. But nobody talks about the return service going back to the Udon airport. This is where I've always had problems. Going to Friendship bridge from Udon I paid 200 baht per person. However, going back I was forced to pay 1,500 baht for a different van service, since I never could find the same van service I came to Friendship bridge with. How do you find the same van service for the return trip?

If you are flying back then it would be worth using the Nok Air service rather than paying that much, from their instructions on the booking form.......

If your itinerary involves coach travelling to/from Vientiane, Laos, please note that you are required to show a copy of this booking confirmation before boarding. Failure to do so may result in you not being allowed onboard.

Upon arriving at the Thai-Lao border checkpoint, please proceed to the departure immigration post. Be sure that you have readied and completed both Thai and Lao Arrival/Departure forms. After which, there will be a shuttle bus that takes you across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge for a nominal fee of 20-30 THB (bus fare not included). Bus departs once every 10 minutes. Next proceed to the arrival immigration post and follow on to the meeting area (denoted by Nok Air logo) where you will then be escorted to the waiting bus. Please be punctual as the bus will leave on schedule.

If you have booked the same service from down-town Vientiane, Nok Air recommends that you check-in at Trans Express office 30 minutes before bus departure. If you arrive at the check-in counter less than 15 minutes before departure, we no longer guarantee that you will be on board the bus.

Trans Express: 36/10-12 Samsenthai Rd., Ban Haysoke, Vientiane Please note that all passengers crossing from Thailand into Laos or from Laos into Thailand require a valid passport and in addition some passengers may require a Visa (Visa application not included). While a Visa may be obtained on arrival, this procedure is not recommended as it is time-consuming and may result in passengers missing the onward connecting bus. It is the sole responsibility of each passenger to have all necessary travel documents ready for inspection. The onward connecting bus may not wait for passengers applying for visa on arrival. For addition details, please visit http://laos.visahq.com

By the looks of that, Trans Express will transport passengers who are not Nok Air customers. I'll wander down tomorrow and ask them how much the service is.