Hi, I've gotta do a visa run later this month. Arrive at Udon Thani airport 8:45, so gotta be quick if I'm gonna make the consulate before it closes.

Has anyone got a taxi from the airport straight there? If so how much? I will get my Laos visa before travelling in order to save time at the border.

My other option is the mini van from the airport (if they sti do it) then a taxi over the border. But could waste time while they fill it up.

Any advice appreciated.

There is no taxi service that I know of that crosses the bridge.

Mini van is still available at airport to bridge. Then bus across bridge.

I've done a taxi from the embassy back to the airport before. Reckon it could be possible. Any idea on how much for taxi from border? I've got 3hrs tops to make it.

You could "charter" the mini bus at Udorn airport to take you up to the bridge. That might be baht 2,000, altho if you see a pickup or two around there, they might do the deed for baht 1,200.

Then at the van/bus terminal there near the bridge, "charter" a van to scoot you across to Lao Immigration for baht 200-250.

Taxi on into town, baht 250-300.

Mac

There is regular mini bus service from airport to bridge for 200 baht as reported by several members.

Yes, I'm aware of the van at the airport. Does this fill up quickly? I'm trying to save time, so was just wondering, as ill have my Laos visa in advance, if I can just get a taxi straight through immigration and onto the embassy and if so how much? If not then around 250 - 300 for a taxi to embassy from border? Would I get this from the Thai side or Laos side?

The bus from Udon Airport will only wait until all the passengers have cleared through and they know there will be no more people. It appears you are arriving onthe Chiang Mai flight with Nok air and as there are no arrival flights around them it should not be too long of a wait. i would assume they would leave no later then 9:15. It usually leaves within 30 minutes of an arrival flight (allowing for people to claim bags and buy tickets).

The transfer is about 1 hour (usually less but allows for delays). The bus across the bridge will take 15 minutes (wait times etc...). Stamp through Laos (with existing visa still takes time). Search out a taxi and to get on the road another 10 minutes and then the 30 minute ride to the Consulate. If all that goes smoothloy then you should be at the Thai Consulate just after 11am (best to be there before 11:30 as they are well known to shut the doors and turn people away right at 12noon).

There are no pre booked registered "taxis" that will carry people across the bridge. There are no taxis at Udon Thani airport you need to pre book for a pick up service. The biggest issue with going from Tha to Laos by private vehicle is the need to process the car via immigration this can be 10 minutes it can be an hour depends on how busy they are. This you have no control over.

#1) I would pre book a private transfer from Udon to the bridge (800baht). Take bus across the bridge (15 baht). Book a private taxi from the Laos side to the Consulate - there are always guys hanging around the visa application booth asking for fares. If you are in a hurry and do not want to wait offer them 300-400 baht to leave right away and most will take it.

#2) Or pre book a private transfer from Udon Airport to Consulate all the way for about 2,500 baht, but the danger is the paper work processing to get the vehicle across the bridge can take as I said as little as 10 minutes or I have been in that line for over an hour waiting!

#3) Use the airport limousine service (shuttle bus) as mentioned then do the same as #1 (bus across, hire taxi Laos side) but it might be cutting it close for time.

Nong Khai Taxi from Udon Airport to the bridge is a flat rate of 600 baht.

The bus from Udon Airport will only wait until all the passengers have cleared through and they know there will be no more people. It appears you are arriving onthe Chiang Mai flight with Nok air and as there are no arrival flights around them it should not be too long of a wait. i would assume they would leave no later then 9:15. It usually leaves within 30 minutes of an arrival flight (allowing for people to claim bags and buy tickets).

The transfer is about 1 hour (usually less but allows for delays). The bus across the bridge will take 15 minutes (wait times etc...). Stamp through Laos (with existing visa still takes time). Search out a taxi and to get on the road another 10 minutes and then the 30 minute ride to the Consulate. If all that goes smoothloy then you should be at the Thai Consulate just after 11am (best to be there before 11:30 as they are well known to shut the doors and turn people away right at 12noon).

There are no pre booked registered "taxis" that will carry people across the bridge. There are no taxis at Udon Thani airport you need to pre book for a pick up service. The biggest issue with going from Tha to Laos by private vehicle is the need to process the car via immigration this can be 10 minutes it can be an hour depends on how busy they are. This you have no control over.

#1) I would pre book a private transfer from Udon to the bridge (800baht). Take bus across the bridge (15 baht). Book a private taxi from the Laos side to the Consulate - there are always guys hanging around the visa application booth asking for fares. If you are in a hurry and do not want to wait offer them 300-400 baht to leave right away and most will take it.

#2) Or pre book a private transfer from Udon Airport to Consulate all the way for about 2,500 baht, but the danger is the paper work processing to get the vehicle across the bridge can take as I said as little as 10 minutes or I have been in that line for over an hour waiting!

#3) Use the airport limousine service (shuttle bus) as mentioned then do the same as #1 (bus across, hire taxi Laos side) but it might be cutting it close for time.

Nong Khai Taxi from Udon Airport to the bridge is a flat rate of 600 baht.

option 1 seems the best bet. Could save me 45 minutes. Are Nong khai taxis always at the airport, waiting for customers, or do i need to pre-book with them? You mentioned 2 prices. 600bht and 800bht. Is it more expensive to prebook? Or will there defo be a Nong khai taxi there for sure do you think? Does anyone have a number for them?

I've done that same Nok Air flight and not had Laos visa and transferred vans.

Took the airport van and then found a shared van from Laos immigration to Consulate.

TIme wise it's no problem. I arrived the Consulate at ~11:05

If time is of the essence, why not just fly into Vientiane? It would be a lot faster. And with all the screwing around with vans, etc., probably not that more expensive in the end -- especially if you view your time as money.

There are NO taxis available at the Udon Thani Airport they are not allowed (currently) to operate from the airport. The two prices listed are for official taxis (ie nong khai taxi service - 600 baht) and private transfer services (not official taxis - 800 baht).

Nong Khai Taxi - 042 420 400 (please do not shoot me if this has changed)

You should be okay taking the airport shuttle and then the shared service on the Laos side. All things going smoothly.

All rates were current as of Monday, however all subject to change.

Many thanks for your help.

There are mini van touts all over the place, the ones that have the mini vans parked in the car park are the cheapest and don't have many people and will probably take you directly to where you want to go, you might still need the bridge bus to get you across the bridge as it is a border crossing, to drive straight across will need paperwork and time, it will cost you, good luck.

If you don't mind an overnight bus trip, a Visa Run company can be a better option, the one I've used before, will get you there and back from their office in PB tower on Soi Pridi (Suk 71) for around ฿7k (or it was the last time I did it, a while ago now) that price includes return bus fare, visa fee, a night in a decent hotel with Air-Con & cable. You get two meals as well, the whole trip is a leave Sunday Night arrive back Tuesday pm affair.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Well if you want to have a car waiting for you at the UdonT airport to take you to the bridge at Nong Khai, a place like this may be worth it:

http://lekcarrentaludonthani.com/TaxiServiceUdonThani.html

Try this :

Mr Pon Vaysana : 856 20 55 02170.

I have use his service a few years back.

He come to pick up you at the lao border, then drive you to the embassy.

He can make every thing for you.
The next day, he will bring you back your passport, then drive u back to the border.

It was 1000 baths all include, so maybe now 1200-1300.

Very nice guy.

I don't know your itinerary, but if you're flying into Udon, it's not that much more money to fly into Vientiane. Definitely a lot faster.

From Chiangmai got return to Udon for 2200bht with Nok air. Just trying to figure out the most cost effective way to make sure I get to the embassy on time. Thanks everyone for your advice.

There are services available which can offer you cross-border transport if you really insist using either Thai or Lao registered vehicles. However, it is inevitably significantly more expensive than going from Udon Thani airport to the bridge first, getting off to complete formalities, changing to the 20 Baht bus across the bridge and then catching another ride (usually a local taxi or tuk-tuk) once formalities are completed on the Lao side. Of course there's also the cross border Udon-Vientiane bus but as it sounds like you are in a hurry I would recommend one of these three options depending on how much you're willing to spend:

1. As others have mentioned, 200 B for minivan shared with other travelers (usual wait time is not long, last time I waited perhaps 15 mins or so, but it might depend a little on whether any flights have just arrived or, lucky for me it was about 11am in the morning and a couple of flights from Bangkok just arrived note that I didn't fly to the airport; I drove, hence why I mentioned this) or a 900 B private taxi if you want to leave immediately. Once at the bridge you check out of Thai immigration and spend 20 B on the bus to ferry you to Lao immigration, then after formalities are done there you spend 200-300 B on a taxi or tuk-tuk to town. Total cost min. 420 B, max. around 1220 B if you take the Udon-Nong Khai taxi option.

2. Take a minivan or taxi to the border as outlined above, then ask around to see if you can find someone driving their car across the border to take you through to the consulate. Cost varies, but probably at least 500 B for the Nong Khai-Vientiane sector, perhaps even 1000 B because they'll want you to pay for the border crossing fee and maybe even the bridge toll. A Lao car might ask for less as they pay 200 B upon entering Thailand, whereas a Thai car pays around this much upon entering Laos. However, you might easily find someone willing to do this, or you might not. The advantage here is of course that you save time compared to bus passengers as there is a separate immigration area for cars and their passengers. Alternatively, you could always ask about this whilst at Udon airport, but despite usually seeing 2-3 Lao cars in the airport car park this does not mean it would be easy to find a direct ride into Vientiane from there.

3. The third option is rather expensive by comparison, but very fast and reliable. By providing your itinerary in advance, you can get a Lao car with driver from AVR Laos in Vientiane to pick you up at Udon Thani airport and then drive you to the consulate in Vientiane. Upon finishing your business there, they could drop you on the Lao side of the bridge for no extra fee. The cost for this service is US$115 or equivalent in Baht or Kip or whatever major currency you wish to pay in.

Edited August 2, 201312 yr by Tomtomtom69

Very informative Tom! Thanks.

hello, there is a Nok Air flight from Bangkok to Vientiane to Udon then stop minivan included in the flight very good service. Mini van stop at the border and then another mini van downtown Vientiane service included Nok Air lasted about two hours for the service.

Hi

The bus from Udon Airport will only wait until all the passengers have cleared through and they know there will be no more people. It appears you are arriving onthe Chiang Mai flight with Nok air and as there are no arrival flights around them it should not be too long of a wait. i would assume they would leave no later then 9:15. It usually leaves within 30 minutes of an arrival flight (allowing for people to claim bags and buy tickets).

The transfer is about 1 hour (usually less but allows for delays). The bus across the bridge will take 15 minutes (wait times etc...). Stamp through Laos (with existing visa still takes time). Search out a taxi and to get on the road another 10 minutes and then the 30 minute ride to the Consulate. If all that goes smoothloy then you should be at the Thai Consulate just after 11am (best to be there before 11:30 as they are well known to shut the doors and turn people away right at 12noon).

There are no pre booked registered "taxis" that will carry people across the bridge. There are no taxis at Udon Thani airport you need to pre book for a pick up service. The biggest issue with going from Tha to Laos by private vehicle is the need to process the car via immigration this can be 10 minutes it can be an hour depends on how busy they are. This you have no control over.

#1) I would pre book a private transfer from Udon to the bridge (800baht). Take bus across the bridge (15 baht). Book a private taxi from the Laos side to the Consulate - there are always guys hanging around the visa application booth asking for fares. If you are in a hurry and do not want to wait offer them 300-400 baht to leave right away and most will take it.

#2) Or pre book a private transfer from Udon Airport to Consulate all the way for about 2,500 baht, but the danger is the paper work processing to get the vehicle across the bridge can take as I said as little as 10 minutes or I have been in that line for over an hour waiting!

#3) Use the airport limousine service (shuttle bus) as mentioned then do the same as #1 (bus across, hire taxi Laos side) but it might be cutting it close for time.

Nong Khai Taxi from Udon Airport to the bridge is a flat rate of 600 baht.

All excellent advice, but on my last 2 trips (6 years ago), Thai & Lao immigration were back to back and it was a short walk to a van which went to Vientienne Hotels - it might stop at the Embassy...

One flame removed.

Sent from my i-mobile i-note WIFI3 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

FYI on NokAir service to Vientiane:

http://www.nokair.com/contents/promotion/vientiane/en-US/index.html

Useless to even think about it, you will be on time anyway.

Is it an option to fly into Vientienne airport?

Not from Chiangmai. Waste of time and money flying from bkk to fly into Vientiane. I think I'll be ok. I know I could get mini can from airport. But chosen to pay an extra 400bht and have a taxi pick me up. Will see if I can find anyone going over before the bridge. If not will get the 20bht bus and taxi from Laos side. Thx to the helpful ones on here for advice.

TAXI NONGKHAI..have used this guy to Udon airport from Nongkhai a few times..maybe give him a call an he will do the job..his number is 0899349415..he has been reliable...Its a decent,clean taxi car too

Cheers, that's who I booked with.

this is all pretty nutty. you just get the 200 bt mini from airport to bridge then across and tuk tuk to consulate. the minis at the airport fill up in 5 mins