Laos Easy Go Travel

We had a 24-hour trip vom Vang Vieng by train, minivan and then VIP-sleeper-bus. All the Pick-ups worked well, the drivers always found us and were there on time. The minivan over the border was a bit of an adventure and they carried some unusual stuff on the bus (like an open box of meat and bones) but everything worked out in the end and we got to hanoi in time! Also the sleeperbus was very very comfortable! For me it was not as bad as everyone keeps saying :)

We had a good impression initially as the company kindly picked us up from our hotel instead of us having to go to the pick up point. However, the bus part of the journey between Nong Khiaw and Luang Prabang was ridiculously overcrowded. The driver picked up multiple locals on route who handed him cash, he allowed them on despite everyone on the bus advising there was no room. The extra passengers sat on empty beer crates in the middle walkway so everybody was packed in, and if there was an emergency us sat at the back would have had no way to exit the vehicle. The aircon also wasn’t strong enough in the midday heat to cool that many people packed in together. The whole experience felt very stressful and definitely wouldn’t consider it to be a VIP experience as advertised unfortunately. Currently awaiting a response from 12Go support.

First of All the bus didnt even started on the Station mentioned on the ticket. A very nice man helped me he called the number wich was written on the ticket and brougth me to the Real location. There the drivers just overloaded the bus with stuff so we started 1h later. The whole bus was completely lopsided. The driver smoked while driving. He stoped just 3 Times in a 12h ride. 30km away from Savannakhet they dragged me out of the bus and said bus isnt driving to there you have to take a taxi. So they dragged me into this taxi wich drove 25km the last five i had to hitchhike. Worst bus experience of All time.

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Bus operator did not understand the concept of online booking and payment and first wanted us to pay again. Also 12go picture was different, so unclear wether it is the correct bus. Only with help of 12go support the issue was solved. Although I have to mention that the operator was kind, but with big language barrier. Additionally at the lao vietnam border there was absolutely no information on where the bus will pick us up again, because the border crossing has to be done by a long foot walk. Without help of other local travellers we would not have found our way back to the bus.

The coach leaked on me and fellow passengers. My blanket was wet from being leaked on during the previous journey. This made my clothes wet, especially my shoulders where the water continously dripped on me. The staff members were aware of this issue as my blanket and chair were wet when I boarded.

The overall trip was okay. The departure time was 9:00 AM, not 8:00 AM as stated. The bus was going to Da Nang, which meant it didn't stop at the exact location listed on the website for Hue, but the actual stop wasn't too far away. One thing I'd recommend is contacting the operator before your trip to confirm with the driver that you've already purchased your ticket online. Overall, the journey was good. The driver was very helpful and made sure everyone was back on the bus after each stop, which I really appreciated.

ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE - GROSS NEGLIGENCE & ABANDONMENT (Booking #AASE6873) "Laos Easy Go" is by far the worst operator we have ever experienced. After giving them over 5 hours advance notice of a flight delay and receiving written agreement for a 21:20 pickup, the driver called us while we were still deboarding the plane at 20:46 and unilaterally canceled our booking at 21:05 (15 minutes early), stranding us in Hanoi. They forced us to pay an extra 400,000 VND fee to rebook, directly causing a 1-day visa overstay fine at the border. On the rebooked leg, they repeatedly delayed the trip by making unscheduled stops to deliver commercial cargo including 5 crates of live chicks). Due to these cargo delays and gross mismanagement, they failed to secure our train tickets, confiscated our passports, had strangers photograph us without consent, and dumped us in a severely bug-infested motel where we couldn't even unpack or sleep. A formal claim for full refunds and damages for Booking #AASE6873 has been submitted. Avoid this operator at all costs.

They made us buy tickets to another van and said they would refund us for it but never did

The bus does NOT leave from Southern bus terminal. I was at the terminal 2 hours early. Boone was there. Eventually I saw people about an hour before departure. Boone knew where the bus was. I finally found someone who told me it left from a station across town. Three of us who were waiting grabbed the taxi but arrived five minutes late. Stuck there with no t Refund. Forced to buy another ticket on another line. How do I get reimbursed the $67?

My booking said that I'm going to be dropped off in nong Khiaw. However I got dropped off at muang xai, without knowing where to go. They only told me to go to the bus station and get a bus to nong khiaw. There was no bus, so I had to go to another city, pak mong, instead and had to get a tuktuk from there. There was no help provided, I had to organise the whole trip alone and also had to pay extra up to 25€ on my own account. Please clarify where you are dropping people off, so they now beforehand and can organise, also a bit of help from the driver would have been appreciated. As he didn't seem to care at all.

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We were picked up by a truck (around 8am) where we had to fit 4 people on 3 seats for about 2/3hrs from Nong Khiaw to the minibus (couldn't move to check actually how long). The minibus journey was fine but we did no stops to eat at all or get snacks (we made the mistake of not getting proper breakfast before, so didnt end up eating for 23 hours other than snacks that we prebought). There was one actual toilet stop and one where all the guys got out and weed on the side of the road (not helpful if you were a girl). The minibus journey was around 5/6 hours. Border crossing was good and the guy on the bus was helpful and there were toilets!! We got to the sleeper bus around 5pm, the sleeper bus was good (didnt quite look like the photos though), they stopped for the toilet and for food (the guy on the bus was very helpful and helped us with our meal and refills). We arrived early, just before 4am.

Chaotic and we were a bit late, but pretty good overall

The driver from Laos to Vietnam was mot driving safetely and did not give information.he had us all in the bus and left to have lunch. He displayed unprofessional behaviors. He was rude. The second bus the driver was impolite seat were available but he had us all tourist in the back where we had to squish 5adults together with no tray or space. When we asked if we could have the two seats available we were told to go there with no explanation or discussion. Again no information was hiver.

The bus was not the bus that was provided in the photos. Took a long time to confirm reservation. 12go said to be at hotel 30 minutes before departure - wasnt until we messaged the company directly that we found out we need to be there an hour early. If we didnt message then we would have missed our bus… bus broke down 30 minutes into journey and left us on the bus without any AC. Areived 2 hours late.

Difficulties in understanding, hardly any stops for toilet use, very fast drive that made fear to reach the border in a healthy condition... After the border very nice driver with good English who could be helpful. Very bad streets that made the trip very uncomfortable und long. At the train station we had to give away our knife for travel use because of security reasons.

I booked a trip from Hanoi to Nong Khiaw and it was honestly a nightmare. The communication and service was really bad. I had to ask what platform the bus is departing from and which company because even one hour before departure I had no information except for "My Dinh" which was on the ticket. The night bus to Dien Bien Phu war perfectly fine, no complaints there. When we arrived in the morning, someone came to the bus and told us to follow to go to Lao. I had to trust that this was intended as I again had no further information about the driver next bus company. I confirmed it via text during the ride. So I was on board this little van to the Vietnamese-Lao border for about one hour. We arrived at 9.30 in the morning. For some reason - nobody explained it to us - the bus was pulled out for inspection and was not allowed to pass the border. We ended up waiting for 3.5 hours until another bus came. At this point I was the only one who was not Vietnamese or from Laos and no body spoke English. I tried to get information from the company, but they didn't tell me anything except that it takes a long time because of the amount of vehicles. There was literally nobody leaving Vietnam that day until the next bus came 3.5h later except for some solo travelers on bikes. I knew they were lying to me, but there was nothing I could do. I also informed them that I would not be able to contact them once I enter Laos as I didn't have a SIM card yet. After about 4 hours at the border we were able to enter Laos. The were then on the road for 5 more hours, finally reaching Muang Xay. I luckily found another passenger who gave me a hotspot so I could call the company. They informed me I would have to stay overnight and ignored me saying that I have a hotel and tour booked in Nong Khiew. Somebody brought me to a hotel. At this point we hadn't stopped anywhere where I could exchange currency or got to an ATM. So it was almost 7pm and I had not eaten any meals (just some snacks), was now in the middle or nowhere with no money, food or water. They didn't care, they just told me "we got you a hotel room". (The room was okay. It was a private room with bathroom, so no complaint there.) I was told by the company that I would be picked up by the driver at 8am the next morning and sat waiting in the hotel lobby for more than one hour. The bus station was only 5min walking, but as I needed someone to speak Lao language and buy my ticket, I couldn't just go on my own. While waiting I called the bus company and they told me he was on his way. At around 9am they suddenly told me he would pick me up at 11. Three hours later than what they had told me before - and I had already checked out of my room. Luckily he did arrive earlier than that and arranged for me to go to Pak Mong. (They told me at the station next bus going to Nong Khiaw would leave at 5pm.) Using the station wifi I asked the company what I should do and they said they would arrange for someone to pick me up to go to Nong Khiew if I get to Pak Mong. The driver paid my ticket and I got on the van. Luckily there was some other tourists that changed 5 USD to Kip for me so I could get some food and use the toilet. The ride to Pak Mong in the van was comfortable, but we already left with half an hour delay, so it was later than expected that we arrived. Now in Pak Mong nobody spoke English and nobody had Wifi. The drivers there offered to take me to Nong Khiew for 200000 Kip but I didn't want to pay for the ticket double so I tried to show them my ticket and ask for internet. One of the drivers at the station called someone else who spoke English. I explained the situation to her and she called to my company and the driver took me to Nong Khiew on the back of his truck. It was a very bumpy ride on dusty dirt roads with plenty of stops on the way where he bought stuff. I arrived to Nong Khiew around 2.30pm - so 21.5h hours later than planned and mostly due to my own initiative. If I had know how unhelpful the company was I would have not booked the ticket with them, but just bought the sleeper bus and arranged from there. Then at least I wouldn't have been to dependend on them the whole time. It was really just 2 days of hell.

The bus ride was very bumpy, we were only 2 on the bus. I was not expecting such a rough ride for more than 4 hours but we made it in one piece.