Nong Khai; immigration there better or at new train station Laos

[sailbuddy]

Hi. I am taking the train from bkk to Nong Khai tonight to go to Vientiane for ed visa. I am trying to decide which is easier, get off at Nong Khai, go across the bridge and go through immigration there. Or take the train onward to the new train station in Laos and go through immigration there. Anyone have any ideas I appreciate it. I'm looking for the least hassle, waiting, walking on my bad feet. Oh, and if anyone knows the proper cost for transport to Vientiane.

Thanks

[Deserted]

They are both pretty easy, the main difference regards the price. If you don't have a visa for Laos already, you will have to pay in Thai baht if you take the train to Thanaleng/Laos, and of course you will be paying more that way, also the minivans that take you from the train station have been whacking their prices up for a while now. The last time I used them it was around 300 baht, I don't know what they charge now. If you go via road you have the option to pay in dollars for a Laos visa if you don't have one, and there is a sign showing you the correct price as well as several exchange kiosks, the transport into the city is more varied meaning you have more options, meaning you will pay less. In total, I thought I saved myself about 600 baht last time. In terms of time there's not much in it, sometimes you have to wait for the train to fill up but visa processing is usually quicker. Hope that helps. It's a year since I did it so things may have changed slightly. If you want less hassle, then the train is probably best as the queues overland can be much bigger if you are behind a tourist bus.

[sailbuddy]

They are both pretty easy, the main difference regards the price. If you don't have a visa for Laos already, you will have to pay in Thai baht if you take the train to Thanaleng/Laos, and of course you will be paying more that way, also the minivans that take you from the train station have been whacking their prices up for a while now. The last time I used them it was around 300 baht, I don't know what they charge now. If you go via road you have the option to pay in dollars for a Laos visa if you don't have one, and there is a sign showing you the correct price as well as several exchange kiosks, the transport into the city is more varied meaning you have more options, meaning you will pay less. In total, I thought I saved myself about 600 baht last time. In terms of time there's not much in it, sometimes you have to wait for the train to fill up but visa processing is usually quicker. Hope that helps. It's a year since I did it so things may have changed slightly. If you want less hassle, then the train is probably best as the queues overland can be much bigger if you are behind a tourist bus.

Thanks. You mean visa processing usually quicker at Thanaleng... Ok. And it will be Friday. Perhaps a lot of traffic for visas. I'm a little confused about the actual immigration place. If going by road. You get off Nong Khai, and there is a Thai immigration building there? and then you walk across the bridge and there is a Lao immigration building on the other side? Is that correct? If the train is on time I have till noon to get to the consulate so that should be no problem. Shame I can't pay in dollars at Thanaleng. So the cost one way is the train ticket and minivan and some extra on the visa in baht. And other way, Save some on the visa in dollars and pay, 3-600bt for transport to Vientiane? Time maybe similar perhaps a little faster at Thanaleng. tx

[utr]

the railway station at nong khai is a few kms from the bridge and immigration, to take a tuk tuk is probably best. then you will need to take a bus across the bridge [no walking allowed].

[TerryLH]

You don't go to the immigration office between the RR station and the bridge.

[utr]

previously it was mentioned as 'thai immigration building' not specifically immigration at the border but still applicable in either event. i'm sure if you mentioned you were going to laos the tuk tuk driver wouldn't take you to nong khai immigration but to the bridge!

[Deserted]

The train to Thanaleng will wait for the train to arrive at Nong Khai, this is usually late however, so don't bank on getting to the Thai consulate that day. I don't think I ever managed to do it. Overland, all the stamping is done in the same area, you can't go wrong, there's plenty of people that will show you where to go. Via train is easier is the amount of people in front of you can only be the people who get off the train, and in my opinion, the process is smoother that way as you don't get bus loads of tourists getting ahead of you, which can happen overland if they have an agent with them. If the combined extra cost of 500-1000 baht, which you will incur if you take the train (due to having to pay for a Laos visa in baht and paying for overpriced minvans at the station) doesn't bother you, then the train is best but again, I think you will be hard pressed to get to the consulate by midday

[Deserted]

They are both pretty easy, the main difference regards the price. If you don't have a visa for Laos already, you will have to pay in Thai baht if you take the train to Thanaleng/Laos, and of course you will be paying more that way, also the minivans that take you from the train station have been whacking their prices up for a while now. The last time I used them it was around 300 baht, I don't know what they charge now. If you go via road you have the option to pay in dollars for a Laos visa if you don't have one, and there is a sign showing you the correct price as well as several exchange kiosks, the transport into the city is more varied meaning you have more options, meaning you will pay less. In total, I thought I saved myself about 600 baht last time. In terms of time there's not much in it, sometimes you have to wait for the train to fill up but visa processing is usually quicker. Hope that helps. It's a year since I did it so things may have changed slightly. If you want less hassle, then the train is probably best as the queues overland can be much bigger if you are behind a tourist bus.

Thanks. You mean visa processing usually quicker at Thanaleng... Ok. And it will be Friday. Perhaps a lot of traffic for visas. I'm a little confused about the actual immigration place. If going by road. You get off Nong Khai, and there is a Thai immigration building there? and then you walk across the bridge and there is a Lao immigration building on the other side? Is that correct? If the train is on time I have till noon to get to the consulate so that should be no problem. Shame I can't pay in dollars at Thanaleng. So the cost one way is the train ticket and minivan and some extra on the visa in baht. And other way, Save some on the visa in dollars and pay, 3-600bt for transport to Vientiane? Time maybe similar perhaps a little faster at Thanaleng. tx

If you want to go by road, you will have to take a tuk-tuk to the border crossing from the train station itself, around 60 baht if memory serves me correctly. Once at the border, you walk through the area where everything is processed and there are minvans, shops, buses all sorts going from there. One thing to remember that if you manage to get to the consulate before you check in to a hotel, they will obviously need your passport but you will need it/copies to get a room downtown most likely, so have extra copies for that. In all probability, you will roll into town around midday and will need to wait until Monday before the consulate is open again as the train will most probably be delayed by a couple of hours en-route. You have to take the bus if you want to get to the consulate on time as they will arrive in Nong Khai much earlier.

[nojoma]

got back yda from visa run to vtn.....20 baht bus ride after checkout from thai side to laos side....30 baht bus ride to main bus station and 60 baht tuk to thai visa place....100 baht shared van back to border after receiving new visa.....1500 baht to enter laos.....from downtown guesthouse it was about 100 baht tuk ride to pick up visa......kip or baht same same......no problems

[Deserted]

got back yda from visa run to vtn.....20 baht bus ride after checkout from thai side to laos side....30 baht bus ride to main bus station and 60 baht tuk to thai visa place....100 baht shared van back to border after receiving new visa.....1500 baht to enter laos.....from downtown guesthouse it was about 100 baht tuk ride to pick up visa......kip or baht same same......no problems

If you paid 1500 bht to enter laos then you've been conned

[ubonjoe]

got back yda from visa run to vtn.....20 baht bus ride after checkout from thai side to laos side....30 baht bus ride to main bus station and 60 baht tuk to thai visa place....100 baht shared van back to border after receiving new visa.....1500 baht to enter laos.....from downtown guesthouse it was about 100 baht tuk ride to pick up visa......kip or baht same same......no problems

If you paid 1500 bht to enter laos then you've been conned

How can you say he was conned for paying 1500 baht for the Lao visa. That is the fee unless you have the $35.

[Deserted]

That's my point. It is a con, it should be $35 on both crossings and not just one.