Driving to Savannakhet for visa

[homemade514]

Hey all.

Next week I will be driving my car to Mukdahan in order to cross the border into Savannakhet for a new visa.

In regards to the bridge where I would catch the bus to cross over, where is the secure parking lot that I have heard about as I have never been there before and as I might be tight on time (driving in from Khon Kaen) I don't really want to get lost haha.

How much is the parking fee for the day? What makes it a 'secure' lot? Is it walking distance to where I would need to catch the bus for the bridge?

Any help is appreciated!

[utr]

the 'covered' parking is immediately prior to entering the bridge area on the left. usually there are lots of trucks parked on the left of the road which makes it difficult to see the parking area/building. they charge 100 baht per day and require you to present their prepaid ticket when reclaiming your car.

it's an easy walk from the car park [about 250m] to immigration. you catch the bus across the bridge after going through immigration. just before immigration on the left is the bus ticket office where you will need to buy your bus ticket before going through immigration.

i would suggest you don't arrive too late [prior to 8:30am latest] otherwise you may miss the first bus across the bridge and the second bus will make it difficult to reach the consulate in time for the 11am cut-off, if you can make it at all - i've always taken the early bus.

Edited October 1, 2014 by utr

[homemade514]

the 'covered' parking is immediately prior to entering the bridge area on the left. usually there are lots of trucks parked on the left of the road which makes it difficult to see the parking area/building. they charge 100 baht per day and require you to present their prepaid ticket when reclaiming your car.

it's an easy walk from the car park [about 250m] to immigration. you catch the bus across the bridge after going through immigration.

i would suggest you don't arrive too late [prior to 8:30am latest] otherwise you may miss the first bus across the bridge and the second bus will make it difficult to reach the consulate in time for the 11am cut-off, if you can make it at all - i've always taken the early bus.

Great thanks a lot this helps! Are there signs upon getting close to Mukdahan regarding where the friendship bridge is?

I plan to leave Khon Kaen pretty early, about 4am as Google says it takes about 3.5hrs to drive so assuming there will be no road issues or traffic at that time I should be okay?

has anyone driven from KK to Mukdahan before? Wondering what the roads are like...

[paz]

Great thanks a lot this helps! Are there signs upon getting close to Mukdahan regarding where the friendship bridge is?

I plan to leave Khon Kaen pretty early, about 4am as Google says it takes about 3.5hrs to drive so assuming there will be no road issues or traffic at that time I should be okay?

has anyone driven from KK to Mukdahan before? Wondering what the roads are like...

It is not a wide road, but not a bad one either. You can trust Google. If the car is in your name you can get a carnet for it, pay some small laos insurance, and cross with it.

[utr]

the road to the bridge is about 5km prior to mukdahan and is signposted.

unless you are comfortable driving on the other-side of the road to that here i'd not bother taking a car there, besides you would need to first get a passport for your car to take it out of thailand.

i find remembering to look the other way first [to the left that is] just to cross the road hard enough.

a van from the laos side of the bridge to the consulate last week cost me 200 baht [there were only two of us - could seat about 8].

Edited October 1, 2014 by utr

[homemade514]

Yea I am not taking a car into Laos. Just want to park it in a secure lot for the day and do the bus/tuk tuk or whatever the options are for bridge and beyond.

[Goldie09]

The car park is very convenient, however, I had my spare wheel/tyre taken from my car after leaving it there a few days.

I would suggest a good lock or put inside the car.

[homemade514]

Well the plan is to be in and out same day because they do same day visas, right?

How did nobody notice someone stealing your tire? Is there someone patrolling the lot at all?

[meand]

There is a hotel about 1 km to the south of the parking lot. The owner may let you park there for around one or 200 baht. I think that lot is more secure if you are worried. I posted about it in the "worry free visa from savanakhette" thread, along with a bunch of gps coordinates.

Edited October 2, 2014 by meand

[chudless]

Drove from KK to Mukdahan yesterday. Very easy drive and 3.5 hours is about right due to the single lane roads closer to Mukdahan.

As per earlier posts, get the 8.30 bus that gets you over the bridge and through immigration by 10. The next bus will be too late.

One extra bit of info is that the Laos visa on arrival needs a photo so take an extra one as well as the 2 for the visa at the Thai Consulate.

[homemade514]

Drove from KK to Mukdahan yesterday. Very easy drive and 3.5 hours is about right due to the single lane roads closer to Mukdahan.

As per earlier posts, get the 8.30 bus that gets you over the bridge and through immigration by 10. The next bus will be too late.

One extra bit of info is that the Laos visa on arrival needs a photo so take an extra one as well as the 2 for the visa at the Thai Consulate.

Awesome thanks. What time did you leave KK and what time did you return to KK? Which route did you take?

[slipperylobster]

hit the river and turn left. stop at the first bridge.

[chudless]

I left KK about 12.30, stopped once and was in Mukdahan at 16.00 as we overnighted. Staying in Laos tonight then ambling back tomorrow.

If you leave KK at 4 am you should be good to park at the bridge by 8. Go through thai immigration and wait in the seating area immediately behind it. Not sure where u buy a ticket for the bus as we left the truck in Mukdahan and got the bus there.

In Laos...wife negotiated a minivan to the Consul for 200 baht.

From KK go up the 12 road to Kalasin. ..very easy route.

[steelepulse]

Drove from KK to Mukdahan yesterday. Very easy drive and 3.5 hours is about right due to the single lane roads closer to Mukdahan.

As per earlier posts, get the 8.30 bus that gets you over the bridge and through immigration by 10. The next bus will be too late.

One extra bit of info is that the Laos visa on arrival needs a photo so take an extra one as well as the 2 for the visa at the Thai Consulate.

Do these buses just run every half hour?

[chudless]

Every hour

[homemade514]

I left KK about 12.30, stopped once and was in Mukdahan at 16.00 as we overnighted. Staying in Laos tonight then ambling back tomorrow.

If you leave KK at 4 am you should be good to park at the bridge by 8. Go through thai immigration and wait in the seating area immediately behind it. Not sure where u buy a ticket for the bus as we left the truck in Mukdahan and got the bus there.

In Laos...wife negotiated a minivan to the Consul for 200 baht.

From KK go up the 12 road to Kalasin. ..very easy route.

Great thanks a lot. Yea I think leaving at 4 will be good as I want to be there and back to KK that day.

After crossing the bridge is where you got a minivan to consulate? Or where do you do that?

[recom273]

I left KK about 12.30, stopped once and was in Mukdahan at 16.00 as we overnighted. Staying in Laos tonight then ambling back tomorrow.

If you leave KK at 4 am you should be good to park at the bridge by 8. Go through thai immigration and wait in the seating area immediately behind it. Not sure where u buy a ticket for the bus as we left the truck in Mukdahan and got the bus there.

In Laos...wife negotiated a minivan to the Consul for 200 baht.

From KK go up the 12 road to Kalasin. ..very easy route.

Great thanks a lot. Yea I think leaving at 4 will be good as I want to be there and back to KK that day.

After crossing the bridge is where you got a minivan to consulate? Or where do you do that?

First, arrive and park you car, approach the immigration booths as per normal. As you approach the booth, look to the left and next to the toilet is a bus ticket booth - buy your ticket for 50B.

Pass through passport control and there is a seating area. Wait there for the public bus, you know the familiar blue, silver & red livery.

It clears the bridge and drops you at Laos immigration, approach passport control, look behind you, thats visa-on-arrival.

Heres the form

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7Ub2apq5-pfSXpfMzB4aGltdDQ/edit

Proceed through Laos passport control, and you will be approached by the taxi guys, For a single traveller it seems to be 200B to Leena guest house. When I haggled, he said, for 2 passengers it's 100B each for the 15 minute drive.

You could take the public bus, ( which i presume is the same one over the bridge ) maybe get him to drop you at the consulate other than that, the bus will stop at the bus station, which is 10 minutes walk back to the consulate. To be honest, its not worth the cost to use public transport after the bridge, as the process involves waiting for others.

I guess, if you are going directly to the consulate, it could be still 100B each for the taxi.

Laos seems a seems to be an expensive place due to the gas prices, I was even sharing skylak's (tuk-tuk) with the locals and they were paying what i considered over the top.

Tuk-tuk from Leena > consulate( 15 minutes ) = 20,000 kip or 80B which i considered fair.

Tuk-tuk from consulate > Leena ( 15 minutes )= started at 200B, dropped to 100B and I just told him, I was paying 20,000 kip

Tuk-tuk from Leena > bus station = 3 people = 30,000 kip ( 10 minutes )

Tuk-tuk from Leena > bridge = 50,000B or 200B ( 20 minutes )

Tuk-Tuk from Consulate > Bus station = 30B for locals ( 5 minutes )

Its possible to walk to places there, if you travel light and don't mind the heat, but your looking about 45 mins - 1 hr to the consulate from town.

Print off the Savanakhet consulate form here and complete with your pics, will save you any further time / little expense when you arrive at the consulate.

I did this all last week.

[homemade514]

I left KK about 12.30, stopped once and was in Mukdahan at 16.00 as we overnighted. Staying in Laos tonight then ambling back tomorrow.

If you leave KK at 4 am you should be good to park at the bridge by 8. Go through thai immigration and wait in the seating area immediately behind it. Not sure where u buy a ticket for the bus as we left the truck in Mukdahan and got the bus there.

In Laos...wife negotiated a minivan to the Consul for 200 baht.

From KK go up the 12 road to Kalasin. ..very easy route.

Great thanks a lot. Yea I think leaving at 4 will be good as I want to be there and back to KK that day.

After crossing the bridge is where you got a minivan to consulate? Or where do you do that?

First, arrive and park you car, approach the immigration booths as per normal. As you approach the booth, look to the left and next to the toilet is a bus ticket booth - buy your ticket for 50B.

Pass through passport control and there is a seating area. Wait there for the public bus, you know the familiar blue, silver & red livery.

It clears the bridge and drops you at Laos immigration, approach passport control, look behind you, thats visa-on-arrival.

Heres the form

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7Ub2apq5-pfSXpfMzB4aGltdDQ/edit

Proceed through Laos passport control, and you will be approached by the taxi guys, For a single traveller it seems to be 200B to Leena guest house. When I haggled, he said, for 2 passengers it's 100B each for the 15 minute drive.

You could take the public bus, ( which i presume is the same one over the bridge ) maybe get him to drop you at the consulate other than that, the bus will stop at the bus station, which is 10 minutes walk back to the consulate. To be honest, its not worth the cost to use public transport after the bridge, as the process involves waiting for others.

I guess, if you are going directly to the consulate, it could be still 100B each for the taxi.

Laos seems a seems to be an expensive place due to the gas prices, I was even sharing skylak's (tuk-tuk) with the locals and they were paying what i considered over the top.

Tuk-tuk from Leena > consulate( 15 minutes ) = 20,000 kip or 80B which i considered fair.

Tuk-tuk from consulate > Leena ( 15 minutes )= started at 200B, dropped to 100B and I just told him, I was paying 20,000 kip

Tuk-tuk from Leena > bus station = 3 people = 30,000 kip ( 10 minutes )

Tuk-tuk from Leena > bridge = 50,000B or 200B ( 20 minutes )

Tuk-Tuk from Consulate > Bus station = 30B for locals ( 5 minutes )

Its possible to walk to places there, if you travel light and don't mind the heat, but your looking about 45 mins - 1 hr to the consulate from town.

Print off the Savanakhet consulate form here and complete with your pics, will save you any further time / little expense when you arrive at the consulate.

I did this all last week.

great, that helps a lot! i am not staying in savannakhet for the night though, i intend to drive into mukdahan from khon kaen around 8am hopefully, pass laos immigration, go straight to consulate, hand in papers, go to a cafe or something for 5-6 hours, head back to consulate pick up passport then get back to thailand and drive back to khon kaen.

can you use thai baht there? id assume so since it's a border town? but your post made me think otherwise...

[NoshowJones]

The car park is very convenient, however, I had my spare wheel/tyre taken from my car after leaving it there a few days.

I would suggest a good lock or put inside the car.

Are there no attendents there? Makes you wonder what you are paying for if not. Now I'm wondering if my motorbike will be safe there when I go in a couple of months.

[recom273]

I left KK about 12.30, stopped once and was in Mukdahan at 16.00 as we overnighted. Staying in Laos tonight then ambling back tomorrow.

If you leave KK at 4 am you should be good to park at the bridge by 8. Go through thai immigration and wait in the seating area immediately behind it. Not sure where u buy a ticket for the bus as we left the truck in Mukdahan and got the bus there.

In Laos...wife negotiated a minivan to the Consul for 200 baht.

From KK go up the 12 road to Kalasin. ..very easy route.

Great thanks a lot. Yea I think leaving at 4 will be good as I want to be there and back to KK that day.

After crossing the bridge is where you got a minivan to consulate? Or where do you do that?

First, arrive and park you car, approach the immigration booths as per normal. As you approach the booth, look to the left and next to the toilet is a bus ticket booth - buy your ticket for 50B.

Pass through passport control and there is a seating area. Wait there for the public bus, you know the familiar blue, silver & red livery.

It clears the bridge and drops you at Laos immigration, approach passport control, look behind you, thats visa-on-arrival.

Heres the form

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7Ub2apq5-pfSXpfMzB4aGltdDQ/edit

Proceed through Laos passport control, and you will be approached by the taxi guys, For a single traveller it seems to be 200B to Leena guest house. When I haggled, he said, for 2 passengers it's 100B each for the 15 minute drive.

You could take the public bus, ( which i presume is the same one over the bridge ) maybe get him to drop you at the consulate other than that, the bus will stop at the bus station, which is 10 minutes walk back to the consulate. To be honest, its not worth the cost to use public transport after the bridge, as the process involves waiting for others.

I guess, if you are going directly to the consulate, it could be still 100B each for the taxi.

Laos seems a seems to be an expensive place due to the gas prices, I was even sharing skylak's (tuk-tuk) with the locals and they were paying what i considered over the top.

Tuk-tuk from Leena > consulate( 15 minutes ) = 20,000 kip or 80B which i considered fair.

Tuk-tuk from consulate > Leena ( 15 minutes )= started at 200B, dropped to 100B and I just told him, I was paying 20,000 kip

Tuk-tuk from Leena > bus station = 3 people = 30,000 kip ( 10 minutes )

Tuk-tuk from Leena > bridge = 50,000B or 200B ( 20 minutes )

Tuk-Tuk from Consulate > Bus station = 30B for locals ( 5 minutes )

Its possible to walk to places there, if you travel light and don't mind the heat, but your looking about 45 mins - 1 hr to the consulate from town.

Print off the Savanakhet consulate form here and complete with your pics, will save you any further time / little expense when you arrive at the consulate.

I did this all last week.

great, that helps a lot! i am not staying in savannakhet for the night though, i intend to drive into mukdahan from khon kaen around 8am hopefully, pass laos immigration, go straight to consulate, hand in papers, go to a cafe or something for 5-6 hours, head back to consulate pick up passport then get back to thailand and drive back to khon kaen.

can you use thai baht there? id assume so since it's a border town? but your post made me think otherwise...

lol. sorry, info overload - I arrived on Saturday, as my visa ran out and my return fight left Tuesday afternoon, so I had plenty of time to check everything out. I gave you some price comparisons.

Sure, they accept THB with glee but maybe tuk-tuk's round everything up to 100B, unless your walking around with a wad of 20B notes. After paying in Baht, i only received change in Baht from Chez Bourne.

If you arrive at the consulate at 8.45 you should be one of the first in the queue, and be out of the consulate by 9.15. Maybe take a walk from the consulate down the hill, there are some places where you can get a coffee and baguette (7,000B) opposite the bus station, walk another 30 minutes ( in the heat ) to the church and historic quarter have some lunch at Daou Savhan or walk along the river back to Chez Bourne, then get a tuk-tuk back to the consulate. Theres not a great deal to do there TBH.

Arrive back there at 2.00 - 2.30 to be first in the queue at 3.30 .. or like me, I got there at 3.45-4.00 PM and joined the very last of the queue instead of standing in the heat ..

[homemade514]

Yea I probably won't be there by 845 as I will most likely be getting the 8:30 bus at the bridge to cross over. So I'll probably be there closer to 9:15-9:30 from the sounds of what others are saying

[kharashima]

I have never had any problem with my car, perhaps because my car has a Mukdahan plate! I've never paid any fee for the parking. Noboby patrols the parking lot. Personally, I feel that it's a safe parking lot. If you are very concerned about your car, you might use a hotel parking lot, an idea!

[Jdiddy]

Enjoy the trip

[homemade514]

Enjoy the trip

Great thanks so much!!