Facts about the transport from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang
Cheapest Transport
$37
Fastest Transport
6h 45m
Earliest Departure
12:00 ночи
Latest Departure
9:30 вечера
Departures per day
1
Distance
1750 kilometers
Transport Companies
Firstplan Transport Services, JTTT Travel, K Buddy, LaoLuang Travel, Mekong Transfer, Naluang, Naluangs, Smart En Plus, Sombat Tour, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, Yortdoy Travel
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang Destination Reviews
ML
Maria L
On the Thai side pretty smooth. After crossing into Laos and clearjng immigration, a lot less smooth.
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Dec 12, 2024
RH
Ross H
The 2 day slow boat was a real highlight of our trip. The boat was full but what we expected.
The stay in Pak Bang was great, a small little town on the river that comes to life with the boat arrival.
Note the you need USD 40 per person to cross the boarder. We had an issue being about to withdraw lao kip. USD wasn't available at all but they only accepted USD. The tour company helped but did charge a large commission.
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Dec 9, 2024
MA
Maria A
Very good experience, everything came on time and felt very organized. Only thing, remember to keep your boat ticket for both days or you will have to pay again on the second boat.
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, JTTT Travel (JTTT Travel), Nov 13, 2024
SW
Sam W
Smooth journey with K Buddy, minibus was comfortable and better quality than many in Thailand, process was easy with their help
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Oct 20, 2024
MH
Martin H
K Buddy was excellent. Good communication, and an excellent driver in a clean vehicle. He had everything in place for a smooth trip and border crossing.
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Oct 11, 2024
M
Matthew
Great experience travelling on the 2 day slowboat from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. All connections went smoothly and there was great communication from our driver all the way through until we arrived in Luang Prabang. The company doesnt advertise that you get a free sandwich when you arrive at the slowboat on day one. A nice touch. By far the cheapest option for this trip we could find and it was as smooth and simple as possible. 100% recommend.
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), May 14, 2024
JM
Jesse M
All transport was provided by K Buddy from our Chiang Rai hotel to the Luang Prabang pier. Pick-up was on time. Good option to take away some stress while travelling.
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Apr 30, 2024
CZ
Celia Z
I had booked the van plus overnight bus to Laos.
Departure was scheduled for 12pm at my hotel. A gentleman came by at 11am to tell me that the departure had been postponed until 2pm. At 1.30pm another man in a basic car picked him up and dropped me off at the van.
The rest went pretty well. The van was comfortable and air-conditioned, and he took us to a small roadside shop to do the paperwork before the border (rather bizarre). We filled in the customs form and took photos if we didn't have any. You can also change baths into kip at a very attractive rate.
Customs clearance was fairly straightforward, with nothing to report on the Thai side. On the Laotian side, however, there was a $1 or 50 bath service charge (just for her to check the form). Pay $40 or 1,800 baths for the visa (be careful, in baths it's much more expensive). After passing through customs, we had to wait to catch the night bus, which took us to the small but well-stocked bus station. The night bus left more than 30 minutes late, the staff were as unfriendly as possible, they didn't explain anything to us and they didn't speak English. You end up in a rather narrow berth with a stranger (they try to put tourists together). And a road that jolts you back and forth between holes and bends is enough to make you want to vomit. There was a dinner break at 8pm, and after that we had no idea whether there were breaks or just the travelers' stops, because nothing was said in English.
The journey goes on, we don't sleep or don't sleep much, but at least we make it to our destination.
This review was autotranslated
J’avais réservé le van plus bus de nuit pour le Laos.
Départ prévu à 12h à mon hôtel. Un monsieur est venu à 11h passé pour me prévenir que le départ était repoussé à 14h. A 13h30 un autre homme en voiture basic est passé le chercher, m’a déposé au van.
La suite s’est plutôt bien passé. Le van était confortable et climatisé, il nous a conduit à un petit shop en bord de route pour faire les démarches avant la frontière (plutôt bizarre). On y rempli le formulaire pour la douane et prendre des photos pour ceux qui n’en ont pas. On peut aussi faire le change des baths en kip à un taux très interessant.
Le passage de la douane a été assez facile, rien à signaler côté thaïlandais. Par contre côté laotien, prévoir 1$ ou 50 baths de frais de services (juste pour qu’elle vérifie le formulaire. Payer 40$ ou 1800 baths de visa (attention en baths c’est beaucoup plus cher). Passer les douanes il faut attendre pour aller prendre le bus de nuit, on nous conduit à la gare routière petite mais avec le necessaire. Le bus de nuit est parti avec plus de 30 min de retard, le personnel était mal aimable au possible, on ne nous expliquait rien et ils ne parlaient pas anglais. Tu te retrouves dans une couchette plutôt étroite à deux avec un inconnu (ils essayent de mettre les touristes ensemble). Et la une route qui te secoue dans tous les sens entre les trous et les virages c’est à avoir envie de vomir. Une pause dîner à eu lieu à 20h et après aucune idee s’il y avait des pauses ou juste les arrêts des voyageurs car rien n’est dit en anglais.
Le voyage se fait, on ne dort pas ou pas beaucoup mais au moins on arrive à bon port
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Sleeping Bus, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Mar 5, 2024
CM
Christine M
bon dans lense
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy (เค บัดดี้), Feb 6, 2024
N
Nadia
The journey to the border was perfect, and the cab driver was extremely helpful with the formalities, etc. Thank you again.
On the other hand, the bus was not at all comfortable, there were no mattresses, there were two of you per berth and there wasn't much room, so you were sharing the intimacy of a stranger if you were alone. We were woken up several times by the noise, the flashlights on our heads and by customs who ripped my bag protector in the hold.
It's certainly an experience, but if you need comfort, take the plane instead :)
This review was autotranslated
Le trajet jusqu'à la frontière était parfait, le taxi m'a énormément aidé pour les formalités etc, merci encore à eux.
En revanche le bus n'était pas du tout confortable, pas de matelas, vous êtes deux par couchette et il n'y a pas énormément de place, autant dire que vous partagez l'intimité d'un inconnu si vous êtes seuls. Nous avons été réveillés à plusieurs reprises par le bruit, les lampes torches sur la tête et par la douane qui a déchiré mon protège sac dans la soute.
C'est certe, une expérience mais si vous avez besoin de confort prenez plutôt l'avion :)
Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, Bus Taxi + Sleeping Bus, Naluangs (Naluangs), Dec 14, 2023
When you want to get from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, you have a few options to consider. Traveling between these destinations is possible by different means of transport:
Flight
Bus
Ferry
Van
Taxi
If you’re looking for a quick trip, it’s recommended that you use Flight. However, if you’d rather take your time with a slower, more affordable travel option, you can book a Bus+taxi+ferry ticket.
The cost of travel will depend on the means of transport you choose for your trip. A Van ticket is the most expensive option - it will cost you about USD 39.81. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a van as a van ticket costs as low as USD 39.81.
How far is Chiang Rai from Luang Prabang?
If you’re traveling by land, it’s important to know the distance from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. Your trip will be a total of 1088 miles (1750 km). The flying distance is 3567 miles (5738 km).
How long does it take to get from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang?
The travel time from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang can vary depending on the mode of transportation you choose. All things considered, the whole journey should take from 7 to 35 hours.
How much does it cost to get from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang?
The cost of the trip from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is LaoLuang Travel (ບໍລິສັດທ່ອງທ່ຽວລາວຫຼວງ): travelling by van expect to pay as low as USD 39.81 for your ticket.
However, if you’re after more upscale travel . The most expensive variant is to opt for a Van - a one-way Van ticket can cost as much as USD 39.81.
Here is a chart of the average ticket prices and transportation options available from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang:
Bus+taxi price: USD 36.86 - USD 44.23. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 05:00 Chiang Rai Hotel Transfer until 13:30 Chiang Rai Hotel Transfer
Bus tickets - USD 38.33 to USD 38.33;
Van price : USD 39.81;
Bus+taxi+Ferry price: USD 43.94 - USD 49.83. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 05:00 Chiang Rai Hotel Transfer until 05:00 Chiang Rai Hotel Transfer
taxi+Ferry price: USD 43.94. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 05:00 Chiang Rai Transfer until 05:00 Chiang Rai Transfer
Ferry+Van price: USD 48.65. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 05:00 Chiang Rai Transfer until 05:00 Chiang Rai Transfer
Bus+taxi+Van price: USD 73.54 - USD 75.75. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 00:00 Chiang Khong until 00:00 Chiang Khong
flight+Bus price: USD 89.08. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 18:30 Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 2 until 18:30 Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 2
flight price: USD 186.18 - USD 258.81. From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang starting from 08:50 Chiang Rai Airport until 21:30 Chiang Rai Airport
You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 373.01 to USD 534.16.
How many trips per day are there between Chiang Rai and Luang Prabang?
Depending on your choice of transportation, the number of daily trips varies.
Vans from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang depart during the day - there are approximately 1 departures a day.
Which means of transport is the best for the route?
Buses
Taking a bus from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang is cheaper than flying. Quite often, a long-distance bus is the cheapest transportation option. Buses normally make bathroom and/or lunch stops along the way.
Things to remember before opting for a bus ride:
If possible, make sure to choose higher-class buses for a more comfortable travel experience. Such buses often have an air conditioning system, soft reclining seats, Wi-Fi, bathrooms, etc.
As with plane tickets, buses are better booked in advance so that you can secure a good seat.
While booking a bus, keep in mind that delays are possible. Yet it still pays to get to the bus station at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.
Taxi
Catching a cab is the easiest way to get from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. It allows you to tailor-make your trip, plan all the detours and see all the places you want. You can choose the type and the size of your car as well to be as comfortable as you'd like to.
Depending on the route, it might cost as much as USD 373.01.
Things to remember: It's a good idea to follow the route on Google Maps or any other GPS navigator.
Vans
A shared van is another means of transport for traveling from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. As far as travel time is concerned, it’s basically equal to a taxi ride, while price-wise it’s way more affordable. The majority of tourists book a van online in advance.
Sometimes, when trains or buses aren’t available, a van is your only way to get from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang.
Things to remember: while traveling by van, you might not have as much space for luggage as you would on a train or a plane. It’s a good idea to pack only the most useful things for a van trip and put them in a backpack that will be easy to carry around..
The most popular transport from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang
How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang? In order to make your choice of transportation easier, we asked 1000 users to range their preferences for this route. Here are the results of the poll:
