Today, you can travel through Laos by train. A high-speed Chinese train service connects Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and other destinations in Laos. This train line also connects to certain destinations in China, Vietnam, and Thailand, it has cut travel times in Southeast Asia dramatically, particularly in Laos, and opened up the region to mass tourism. In this guide, we cover train travel in Laos, the pros and cons, how to purchase tickets (which isn’t easy), tips for train travel in Laos, plus what is it the best way to travel in Laos? We have used these trains ourselves recently (2026) on a tour of SE Asia, we tell you about the experience.
A modern high-speed trains in Laos today.
We travelled through Laos in 2026 using trains and buses; this post is about our experiences. We compare the experience of travelling in Laos today, to travel before the train line was built. We first visited Laos in 2001, returning in 2017, both trips were before the train line, our first visit was before the airport in Luang Prabang opened. We have a lot of experiences of travel in Laos to draw from. You have found a travel blog that is genuine, and not created using AI. Sign up to support humans and receive many future travel updates from Laos and this region, plus more. This post may contain affiliate links.
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Buying tickets for the Laos trains is not easy. The train company only releases train tickets 4 days in advance and those tickets sell fast. In our experience the trains sell out and are very full. Our solution was to book tickets online using 12Go Asia . We had no problems, but confirmation takes a while. Try the booking form below. This platform also lets you compare the costs of buses, minivans and flights. The trains are usually the cheapest and fastest option.
What are the train stations in Laos like? They’re huge and modern. There are shops, cafes, restrooms and plenty of seating. You will have to wait in an area like this before the time comes to board your train. This is the interior of Luang Prabang train station. The architecture of these huge buildings somewhat reflects local designs.
As the stations are brand new and huge, they are a long way out of town. Going to the train station in person to buy train tickets is generally out of the question for most travellers.
Vang Vieng Train Station, Laos. We arrived after dark. The mini buses and trucks are there to transport you into Vang Vieng town or to your booked accommodation. Rides start at 30K Kip for a shared ride.
You may be able to buy tickets at travel agencies and offices on the street in Laos or some hotels may be able to buy tickets for you. In our experience the best way to book your Laos train tickets is to use the company 12Go Asia. We used this company and had no problems, but you will need nerves of steel.
Once you purchase your tickets online, you have to wait for confirmation and this can take 12-18 hours. As we were travelling on the fly, and generally reserved train tickets the day before departure, our tickets weren’t confirmed until the morning of travel.
This worked out fine for us, but we were fairly flexible and always had a back up plan. If the train tickets weren’t confirmed, we could always catch a bus or mini bus.
Arguably, the bus is the best way to travel between Vientiane and Vang Vieng today, particularly if you need to go to the airport in Vientiane, and not the Central bus station.
The train stations in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Vang Vieng are all quite a long way out of town and you will need transport.
There is no Grab in Laos, you will either need to install the Laos ride sharing app, or take a taxi, minibus or tuk tuk. You will struggle to pay for anything by card or using your phone in Laos, have cash. Taxis are not cheap in Laos.
On arrival at the Laos train stations you will generally be approached by drivers of shared buses and vans. The journey from the train station into those 3 towns should cost you around 30 Kip for a shared ride. Getting a ride is easy, don’t worry. Don’t try to walk.
Do You Need To Arrive At The Station Early? And Why?
On your train reservation you will probably see that you should arrive at the railway station 1-2 hours before departure. In our experience this is unnecessary, but maybe this is because we did arrive early. Maybe if you arrive later the queues to collect your boarding passes and enter the station, via security scanners, may be long.
Expect some very interesting methods of queuing from your fellow passengers on trains in Laos. Using your bag to hold a spot won’t work. People push straight to the front anyway.
Boarding is normally 10-20 minutes before the train is due to depart. Until boarding time you will be held in the seating area inside the station building. You can’t access the platform until the gates open for boarding.
Is The Train The Best Way To Travel In Laos?
I would say that the train is 100% the best way to travel between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng.
Between Vientiane and Luang Prabang, either the train or a flight may be best for you.
Between Vang Vieng and Vientiane, the bus is fine and they run more frequently. The journey is just over an hour on the new highways. If you need to travel to or from Wattay International Airport Vientiane and Vang Vieng, take the bus.
What’s It Like To Travel By Train in Laos Today?
Train travel in Laos wasn’t how we expected it to be. The trains themselves and the stations are modern and efficient, but they are crowded. Expect a crush in getting on and off, and queuing to board the trains and access the platforms is chaotic. Normal Western rules for standing in line don’t apply, at all.
The trains were smelly. There was a lot of food being consumed on board, and the train did supply food. Carts of hot sausages and other snacks were fairly odiferous.
Staff were sweeping the carriages regularly during the journey, and it was needed.
There were a lot of children on board.
We didn’t use the bathrooms, so we can’t comment. We did use the bathrooms at the stations, they were pretty much what you’d expect.
All of the train tickets that we purchased were together, but other couples were split up. All seating is assigned.
The seats were comfortable with plenty of leg room. We tried second class and first class, there wasn’t much difference between the two. Business class looked to be quite a step up.
A first-class carriage on the Laos LCR trains. The overhead bins are for your luggage. We only had carry-on, and it was very easy to travel this way in Laos.
We did experience delays. The trains departed on time, but we were delayed en route, maybe you need to expect this.
Laos train (LCR) 2nd class. The seats are comfortable but 1st class is a little better. First class only cost us a dollar or two more, and there was more availability.
Train Travel in Laos, Overview
Taking the train in Laos was an interesting experience and undoubtedly saved a lot of time in travelling between Vientianne and Luang Prabang or Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. The road is good today between Vang Vieng and Vientiane, the journey is under 2 hours by bus, so the bus may be a better option between those two destinations in Laos.
You can also fly between Vientiane and Luang Prabang, of course. Some travellers may find this to be a better option.
Where Did We Stay in Laos?
We travelled from Vientiane, to Luang Prabang, to Vang Vieng in Laos by train and bus. We used the following hotels and guest houses.
LAOS Vientiane 2 nights. Vanida Hotel Approx $39 US, $56 Au per night, included breakfast.
Alyson is a British medical scientist who jumped ship to chase dreams. A former Chief Biomedical Scientist in London hospitals, she started in website creation and travel writing in 2011.
Alyson is a full-time blogger and travel writer, a published author, and owns several websites. World Travel Family is the biggest.
A lifetime of wanderlust and over 6 years of full-time travel, plus a separate 12 month gap year, has given Alyson and the family some travel expert smarts to share with you on this world travel site.
Today Alyson still travels extensively to update this site and continue her mission to visit every country, but she's often at home on her farm in Australia. (https://tropicalfoodgarden.com)
Alyson is going by Clarke today, but she remains married into the Long family.
