We recently got the train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and on to Vientiane. The journey was one of the highlights of our Laos trip with scenic countryside views the entire way.
In this article – we outline how to get from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and Vientiane by train.
If you’ve not done the trip before and want to know what’s involved, this guide is for you. It breaks down the exact steps involved from booking your tickets to getting to the train station along with costs.
Getting The Train From Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng & Vientiane
Here’s an overview of how to get the train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng or Vientiane…
- Buy your train tickets
- Travel to Luang Prabang train station
- Get through station security
- Enjoy the scenic train ride
- Get from the train station to your accommodation
Let’s dive into what’s involved in each of these steps…
1 – Buy your train tickets
The first step is to buy your train tickets. You can either do this online and then collect the tickets from the station, or you can book through your hostel, hotel, or a travel agent in town.
We assumed that booking online would be cheaper because it usually is in most places. But this wasn’t the case in Luang Prabang.
The cost to buy a train ticket online was $27, but when we enquired with our hotel they quoted us $20. They were also able to get us seats on a train that showed us fully booked online. So it’s definitely worth checking with your accommodation in case they can get you a good deal.
To book the train tickets, we simply gave our receptionist the date and time of the train we wanted to travel on. They took photos of our passports (needed to secure the booking) and reserved us tickets over the phone.
The tickets were delivered to our hotel the next day. We paid for them along with our accommodation when we checked out. It was super easy and much less hassle than trying to book online (along with being cheaper too).
2 – Travel to Luang Prabang train station
The railway station is located about 11km (7 miles) outside of Luang Prabang which takes about 20 minutes by car.
It’s not super convenient to get to like most city-centre train stations which you can walk to. There’s no public transport between the train station and the city so you’ll need to arrange your own transport.
There are three options to choose from; shared vans, tuktuks, or private vans.
Shared vans are the cheapest option at 40,000 kip per person (around $2). They pick up travellers from hostels and hotels around the city, then drive them all to the train station.
It’s a cheap option but also the least convenient because you don’t know the precise time you’ll be picked up. You have to be ready 2.5 hours before the train departure time and wait outside your accommodation for them to come get you. Depending on where you are on the pickup list, you could be waiting 5 minutes or 90 minutes.
But if budget is your main concern and you don’t mind waiting around, then this is the most cost-effective option.
The second option is to hire a private tuktuk (which is actually more like a jeepney in Laos). This is what we did.
It cost 160,000 kip in total – the equivalent of $8. Since there were two of us travelling, this worked out at $4 each.
The tuktuk driver will come and collect you at your preferred time so you don’t have to wait around for ages. This meant we had an hour and a half extra to explore Luang Prabang’s morning market before departing so it was well worth the extra cost.
The third option is to hire a private minivan which costs 200,000 Lao kip in total (approx $10). Unlike a tuktuk, the minivan will be fully enclosed, have seatbelts, and air-conditioning. It arguably offers a more comfortable (and less bumpy) ride.
If there’s a couple of you travelling together, then you can split the cost and it’ll work out very cheap. But we enjoy riding in Lao tuktuks because it feels like you’re closer to everything that’s going on. You can take in the sounds and smells along the way which you just don’t get in an aircon van.
3 – Get through station security
Our receptionist recommended that we get to Luang Prabang train station an hour before the scheduled departure time. This seemed a bit much – being from the UK we’re used to just rocking up at the station a few minutes beforehand.
But we followed her advice and were glad we did. Lao train stations have a security and boarding process that’s similar to airports (just like in China). So, you need to queue to get your ticket checked before entering the station, then queue to have your bag scanned through security, and then queue to have your ticket checked again before boarding.
One thing to note regarding the security process is that electronic cigarettes are banned in Laos. This is a relatively new law that came into place in December 2023 so is still catching visitors out. If you’re caught with electronic cigarettes or vaping products, then you’ll be in trouble.
We met a couple who had been fined for carrying vapes. Security officials had found them while screening their bags at the train station. They had to pay a fine of $100 each as a result. They were a bit miffed as they felt it was a scam but didn’t seem to realise that vaping was illegal there. In reality they probably got off quite lightly with a fine.
Each of these queues didn’t take very long – only 5-10 minutes each time. But being early meant there was zero stress involved as we weren’t worried about how long things would take. We also had time to raid the convenience store for train snacks – yippee!
The station is super modern and has a really cool architectural design. It’s actually bigger than Luang Prabang international airport!
There are a few snack shacks and drinks kiosks outside of the building where you can buy supplies cheaply. Once you’re inside there’s a small convenience store where you can purchase chilled drinks, snacks, and gifts. There’s also a coffee shop, toilets, and plenty of seating in the main hall.
Boarding started around 15 minutes before departure. There was another long queue to join where our tickets and passports were checked again but it moved really quickly.
Tickets come with seat bookings so you need to find the correct carriage and seat number to sit in. The train left a minute early and we were away!
4 – Enjoy the scenic train ride
The train itself was excellent – really modern and clean. We could easily have been on a train in China or Japan. There was even a display at one end telling us how fast we were moving (bullet train style).
The seating was comfy. It had a small storage pouch, tray table, and drinks holder like you’d get on an aeroplane. There was overhead storage for smaller bags and then larger storage areas near the entrance doors for big suitcases and backpacks.
Our tickets were checked while we were on the train so it’s worth hanging onto your copy while you’re travelling.
There were also drinks and snacks available on board. A lady selling sausages on sticks walked up and down the aisles all day. We didn’t have any but they proved popular with the locals.
There was also a trolley service where you could get hot drinks, soft drinks, sandwiches and crisps.
But the best bit of the train journey has to be the incredible scenic views along the way. Laos’ landscape is simply stunning and you get a front seat while travelling by train.
The journey between Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane takes in mountains, valleys, and lakes. Travelling by train is a fantastic way to enjoy the natural scenery and get an idea of what it’s like outside of the main tourist hotspots.
We got a fast train so it only stopped at Vang Vieng (perfect for tubing and village life) and Vientiane. But there are slower trains that stop at more stations along the route. Hopping off at these to spend a day or two exploring would be a brilliant way to get off the beaten track.
Most tourists and backpackers stick to Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane on their journeys. Some venture to Pakse and the 4000 islands. But only a small minority go anywhere else.
Getting off at these train stations would be a really easy and convenient way to explore other areas in Laos and get an idea of what it’s like outside of the tourist areas.
5 – Get from the train station to your accommodation
If you’re getting the train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, then this step is easy. Vang Vieng railway station is a 4-minute drive or 30-minute walk from the town. It’s easy to get transport to your accommodation from directly outside of the station.
If you’re travelling from Luang Prabang to Vientiane by train, then this final step takes a little longer. Vientiane railway station is a fair way outside of the city so it takes another 30+ minutes to reach your final destination.
When we arrived at the train station, there were a couple of public buses waiting outside. They only seemed to run to the central market which wasn’t near where we were staying so we opted to get a taxi instead.
We’d read online that a taxi should cost 250,000 ($12.50). So when we were quoted 300,000 kip ($15) we were a bit hesitant. 50,000 kip extra sounded like a scam as it’s a 20% hike, though in reality it’s only $2.50 difference.
We paid up and were whisked off to our hotel. The journey took 30 minutes so we didn’t feel short-changed.
But once at our hotel we saw that 300,000 kip is the standard fare between the city centre and the train station. So the pricing we’d seen online must just be out of date. As of February 2024, a taxi from Vientiane railway station to the city centre (or vice versa) costs 300,000 kip ($15).
And that’s how you get from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng or Vientiane by train! It’s a really easy and enjoyable way to travel between these places. If you have questions then feel free to send us an email or message us via Instagram.
FAQs
Can I get from Luang Prabang to Kunming by train?
Yes there are direct trains from Luang Prabang to Kunming in China that run daily.
Can I get from Bangkok to Luang Prabang by train?
No it’s not possible to travel between Bangkok and Luang Prabang by train, you’ll need to get a bus and some taxis in between. You can get a train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, then a bus to Vientiane, and then a train from there to Luang Prabang.
Can I get from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang by train?
No, there are no trains between Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang so you’ll need to get a bus or aeroplane.
Can I get from Hanoi to Luang Prabang by train?
No, there aren’t any trains between Hanoi and Luang Prabang so you’ll need to travel by bus or aeroplane.
