Mukdahan to Savannakhet not by bus?

[Kitsune]

Hello all

I am trying to fly to Savannakhet unfortunately I cannot find any flight reaching Mukdahan before 9.45 am,even the Lao Air flight Bangkok-Savannakhet arrives too late..

I understand there is a bus leaving every hour from Mukdahan at 7.30 going to the border then reaching the Lao consulate, but it takes at least an hour/ one and a half hour and that would be too late to get to the consulate before 11am.

Is there any other faster ways to cross the border and reach Savannakhet's consulate before 11am?

Have a good day and thank you all in advance for your answers <removed>

Edited October 29, 2014 by ubonjoe
removed a inflammatory comment

[ubonjoe]

I know of no quicker way to get from Mukdahan to Savannakhet. Perhaps if you could arrange for private car transport across the bridge. But it even then chances are your would not make it because of the time it would take to clear immigration and get your Lao VOA.

Most people that have been flying in do it the afternoon/evening before, spend the night in Mukdahan and cross the bridge early the next morning.

[Kitsune]

I can get my lao visa in Bangkok, save me time.

Is there no van services ?

That bus leaving only every hour is not very convenient ...

[Kitsune]

OK...

How about crossing the border at Tha Khet then a taxi to Savannakhet?

Any idea of how long would it take?

[forgetit]

If the importance here for you is the arrival time, then I suggest an over night bus to Mukdahan. There is at least a bus going from Rayong to Pattaya and chonburi and then onwards Mukadahan.

http://www.iloveyellowbus.com/en/roots.html

This bus is scheduled to arrive in Mukadahan at 7.30 AM. If you then take a tuk tuk to the border you will have ample time to catch the first bus going across the bridge. I suggest you take one one tuk tuks in Laos as well. As the bus is only going to the market and then you would have to switch anyway.

At least this is my experience.

IIRC there is also night bus from BKK to Mukdahan. But I wouldnt swear on it that it exists. Research is your friend on this.

[Digitalnomade]

you can fly to Nakhon phanom (nkp)with air Asia, spend a night in sp hotel in nakhon for 450 baths. 7am wait for bus along the Mekong river , stop at friend ship bridge in mukdahan.

enter Lao, take tuck tuck direct to Thai embassy ( you arrive around 10 am, 1030am), drop your papers then go to any hotel around, get relax , and next day pick up your visa after 2pm then manage your way back by bus or by plane.

(2 ways flight 2000 baths , tuck tuck 700 baths , 3 nights hotel 1400 baths , 2 entry visa 2000 bahts)

SP hotel in nakhon phanom :042 513 5004 (free Wi-Fi in rooms), new building, clean, courtesy water.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Digitalnomade

[Kitsune]

you can fly to Nakhon phantom, spend a night in sp hotel for 450 baths. 7am wait for bus along making, stop at friend ship bridge in mukdahan.

enter Lao, take tuck tuck direct to Thai embassy (around 10 am), got any hotel around, relax, and next day pick up visa then manage your way back by bus or by plane.

(2 ways flight 2000 baths , tuck tuck 700 baths , 3 nights hotel 1400 baths , 2 entry visa 2000 bahts)

Sorry I did not make it clear enough: For very pressing matters, I CANNOT spend a night out of Bangkok.

Is there anyway to reach Savannakhet and back to BKK the same day at any cost?

So far the most promising way I found is

- to take an AirAsia flight arriving in Sakhon Nakhon at 7.45 am (the earliest flight arriving in the North East from Bangkok)

- From which I could take a taxi to get to the border (to be confirmed, but I hope every airport has taxis)

-then cross the border much faster than in Mukdahan and save time and arrive in Laos in a village called Tha Khet,

- and then reach Savannakhet with another taxi. I have no idea how long it would take, I found out there are 133km from Tha Khet to Savannakhet so that should "normally" be around 1h30 but maybe the roads are in bad state and the drive could be very long. The bus Tha Khet to Savannakhet is 3 HOURS, is this because it stops alot or because the road is bad?

http://www.travelfish.org/transport/laos/southern_laos/khammuan/tha_khaek/all

Edited October 29, 2014 by Kitsune

[BritTim]

you can fly to Nakhon phantom, spend a night in sp hotel for 450 baths. 7am wait for bus along making, stop at friend ship bridge in mukdahan.

enter Lao, take tuck tuck direct to Thai embassy (around 10 am), got any hotel around, relax, and next day pick up visa then manage your way back by bus or by plane.

(2 ways flight 2000 baths , tuck tuck 700 baths , 3 nights hotel 1400 baths , 2 entry visa 2000 bahts)

Sorry I did not make it clear enough: For very pressing matters, I CANNOT spend a night out of Bangkok.

Is there anyway to reach Savannakhet and back to BKK the same day at any cost?

So far the most promising way I found is

- to take an AirAsia flight arriving in Sakhon Nakhon at 7.45 am (the earliest flight arriving in the North East from Bangkok)

- From which I could take a taxi to get to the border (to be confirmed, but I hope every airport has taxis)

-then cross the border much faster than in Mukdahan and save time and arrive in Laos in a village called Tha Khet,

- and then reach Savannakhet with another taxi. I have no idea how long it would take, I found out there are 133km from Tha Khet to Savannakhet so that should "normally" be around 1h30 but maybe the roads are in bad state and the drive could be very long. The bus Tha Khet to Savannakhet is 3 HOURS, is this because it stops alot or because the road is bad?

http://www.travelfish.org/transport/laos/southern_laos/khammuan/tha_khaek/all

I have looked into this myself in the past. If money is a secondary consideration, it can be done. (I do assume you are not willing, though, to charter a plane to Nakhon Phanom. REALLY expensive but possible.) You need to take the first Nok Air flight from Don Muang (DMK) to Ubon Ratchathani (UBP) (arrives 7:10 am) and a taxi from Ubon to Mukdahan (about 2 hours). With or without an existing Lao visa, this allows just enough time with normal luck to make the consulate in time. Visa is ready about 3:00 pm. Taking a taxi back from Mukdahan to Ubon, it is reasonably easy to get there for the last flight back. This is not cheap as the airport taxi mafias will gouge you mercilessly unless you can arrange in advance for a non airport taxi to meet you.

[Asheron]

I have done three trips from Ubon ratchathani -> Mukdahan -> Savannakhet leaving at 06:00 from Ubon with a minibus from the main bus station. It arrives about 08:00 at Mukdahan bus station, buy ticket (45 baht if i recall correctly) for the bus going to Savannakhet. Clear both immigrations and take tuk tuk from Lao immigration directly to consulate. Each time i have done this i have had "plenty" of time left (as in 1-1.5 hours) before 11:00.

[Kitsune]

I have done three trips from Ubon ratchathani -> Mukdahan -> Savannakhet leaving at 06:00 from Ubon with a minibus from the main bus station. It arrives about 08:00 at Mukdahan bus station, buy ticket (45 baht if i recall correctly) for the bus going to Savannakhet. Clear both immigrations and take tuk tuk from Lao immigration directly to consulate. Each time i have done this i have had "plenty" of time left (as in 1-1.5 hours) before 11:00.

Thanks but I am coming from Bangkok and the earliest flight arriving in Ubon ratchathani is at 7.10

http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do;jsessionid=20B38E15781B862EC9DFEC4AC6C7C39E.web4:8009?airportCode=UBP&airportQueryType=1

[Kitsune]

I have looked into this myself in the past. If money is a secondary consideration, it can be done. (I do assume you are not willing, though, to charter a plane to Nakhon Phanom. REALLY expensive but possible.) You need to take the first Nok Air flight from Don Muang (DMK) to Ubon Ratchathani (UBP) (arrives 7:10 am) and a taxi from Ubon to Mukdahan (about 2 hours). With or without an existing Lao visa, this allows just enough time with normal luck to make the consulate in time. Visa is ready about 3:00 pm. Taking a taxi back from Mukdahan to Ubon, it is reasonably easy to get there for the last flight back. This is not cheap as the airport taxi mafias will gouge you mercilessly unless you can arrange in advance for a non airport taxi to meet you.

Thank you !

I had not thought of flying to Ubon Ratchathani.

I think that's what I will do

[wpcoe]

from OP:

I understand there is a bus leaving every hour from Mukdahan at 7.30 going to the border then reaching the Lao consulate, but it takes at least an hour/ one and a half hour and that would be too late to get to the consulate before 11am.

FYI, the first bus from the Mukdahan bus station for the bridge to Laos now leaves at 0700, the second one is at 0745, and then starting at 0830 they are hourly. This is as of 23-Oct-2014 when I was there.

If the importance here for you is the arrival time, then I suggest an over night bus to Mukdahan. There is at least a bus going from Rayong to Pattaya and chonburi and then onwards Mukadahan.

http://www.iloveyellowbus.com/en/roots.html

This bus is scheduled to arrive in Mukadahan at 7.30 AM. If you then take a tuk tuk to the border you will have ample time to catch the first bus going across the bridge. I suggest you take one one tuk tuks in Laos as well. As the bus is only going to the market and then you would have to switch anyway.

I took the 2100 "VIP" yellow bus from Pattaya last week and we didn't arrive at Mukdahan until a little after 1000 -- too late to get across the bridge and to the Thai consulate in Savannakhet by 1100.

[Kitsune]

from OP:

I understand there is a bus leaving every hour from Mukdahan at 7.30 going to the border then reaching the Lao consulate, but it takes at least an hour/ one and a half hour and that would be too late to get to the consulate before 11am.

FYI, the first bus from the Mukdahan bus station for the bridge to Laos now leaves at 0700, the second one is at 0745, and then starting at 0830 they are hourly. This is as of 23-Oct-2014 when I was there.

This bus is scheduled to arrive in Mukadahan at 7.30 AM. If you then take a tuk tuk to the border you will have ample time to catch the first bus going across the bridge. I suggest you take one one tuk tuks in Laos as well. As the bus is only going to the market and then you would have to switch anyway.

On Monday 27th of October which is 3 days ago, my friend took the 20.30 bus from Bangkok to MuKdahan.

He arrived at Mukdahan at 6.30 am and had to wait at Mukdahan for the first bus to cross the border which was supposedly departing at 7.30 AM but was late 10 mins and actually left at 7.40

But anyhow, this is none of my concern since my main problem is to arrive before 9.10Am since the first plane arrive at 7.10 in Ubon R and it takes 2 hours to reach Mukdahan.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Kitsune

[wpcoe]

So they've eliminated the 0700 bus already? That was fast.

[Asheron]

Today i did a run to Savannakhet from Ubon. Mini bus was at Mukdahan around 08:10 (left 06:00 from Ubon). Took the first bus to border, did the immigration and tuk tuk tango and i was standing at consulate visa line about 09:50. And yes, i did get my single entry non-imm o visa (thai child) without any questions.

[Kitsune]

Today i did a run to Savannakhet from Ubon. Mini bus was at Mukdahan around 08:10 (left 06:00 from Ubon). Took the first bus to border, did the immigration and tuk tuk tango and i was standing at consulate visa line about 09:50. And yes, i did get my single entry non-imm o visa (thai child) without any questions.

Thank you but how is that helping me,coming from Bangkok to make my EDvisa in one day ?

[Happyman58]

On 10/29/2014 at 7:54 AM, ubonjoe said:

I know of no quicker way to get from Mukdahan to Savannakhet. Perhaps if you could arrange for private car transport across the bridge. But it even then chances are your would not make it because of the time it would take to clear immigration and get your Lao VOA.

Most people that have been flying in do it the afternoon/evening before, spend the night in Mukdahan and cross the bridge early the next morning.

Ubon Joe  I need to do a visa run on the 25th July From Ubon to Savannakhet I am thinking about taking the bus this time can you give me an idea how i do this run and roughly the cost. I know i have to change bus at Mukdahan to get over the Friendship bridge

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, Happyman58 said:

Ubon Joe  I need to do a visa run on the 25th July From Ubon to Savannakhet I am thinking about taking the bus this time can you give me an idea how i do this run and roughly the cost. I know i have to change bus at Mukdahan to get over the Friendship bridge

Going on the 25th would not be a good day to do it unless you could get to Savannakhet early enough to apply on the same day. The consulate will be closed from the 27th to the 30th for Thai holidays. Open on the 31st. If you applied on the 26th you would not be able to to pickup your passport until the 30th.

You could take a bus or van from the main bus station here in Ubon. When you arrive at the bus station in Mukdahan you can get the bus to Savannakhet from there.

[Happyman58]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Going on the 25th would not be a good day to do it unless you could get to Savannakhet early enough to apply on the same day. The consulate will be closed from the 27th to the 30th for Thai holidays. Open on the 31st. If you applied on the 26th you would not be able to to pickup your passport until the 30th.

You could take a bus or van from the main bus station here in Ubon. When you arrive at the bus station in Mukdahan you can get the bus to Savannakhet from there.

Thanks, Joe I will take the car on 25 th  Much quicker and i usually get out of bed early anyway Don't fancy staying Savannakhet for 3 days