Luang Prabang to Vientiane by train, van, bus, flight, taxi from LAK 544,146

Luang Prabang to Vientiane Destination Reviews

Michele J

The 12Go customer service was terrible and the operator (Laos Group Tours) was even more terrible. I was given the wrong train time with no ticket when the train I initially picked was unavailable. I offered an earlier time as being an ok option and then no one ever got back to me. I got in contact with both companies and both companies were pinning communication blames on the other, it was very unprofessional. After a day and a half of constant emailing and what’s app between both companies, I finally got my e ticket screen shotted to me, but it took a lot of effort and me have to constantly reach out to get anyone to respond. It affect my last 2 days of my trip and I would never recommend this experience to anyone.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train First Class, Laos Group Tour, Oct 21, 2025

Dirk R

Well, if you consider that your Account gets charged directly, but neither receiving the confirmation as advised and you've to Deal with the operater itself, who Not even replied on contact.. i showed Up personally and only then the received the Info, that the booked train is Not available... Basically it was just luck, otherwise chances would have been quiet high to Miss my flight. Also the operater itself seemed Not be interessted in active customer service and Care. You should really Stop to offer These Services, Backpacker Times are over and people have schedules nowadays ( talked to at least 3 other people who thought they could trust a booking via an App too) Also paid for the Highspeed train and had a Seat in the regular one...so i also have given a huge Tip for the "service"

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Oct 18, 2025

Charles

Train was fast, comfortable and efficient. Worth the extra for first class for more comfort.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train First Class, Laos Group Tour, Oct 15, 2025

Maria P

I received the ticket three hours before the trip and nobody answered my messages and it was not the ticket I booked, but the one two hours later. Nevertheless, I am grateful to the woman who helped me to get to Vientiane, however tge experience itself was very disturbing.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Oct 14, 2025

Veronika S

The train is clean, comfortable, boarding is organised and one way was very much on time. However on the way back, the train got cancelled and the earliest next option was 2.5 hrs later so don’t match your flight ticket/next step in your journey to it.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Oct 10, 2025

Yuichiro S

You had not advised me of the final confirmed departure time of my train ticket before I departed. Every time, the departure time on the booking sheet provided by you differed from the time printed on the actual ticket issued.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Oct 9, 2025

Pongsakorn D

I need to change many plan to reach the airport in time.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Oct 3, 2025

Reiko N

The timetable officially posted on the Laos-China Railway website was incorrect. Consequently, although I had booked a ticket for the afternoon train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang on September 4th via 12GO, I ended up missing that train and had to repurchase a ticket for the next morning's train. Additionally, the departure time for the train from Luang Prabang to Vientiane was 30 minutes earlier than the timetable indicated, and I missed that train as well.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Sep 10, 2025

Samitha K

Punctual and comfortable.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Sep 9, 2025

Matthew G

Smooth as silk. Instructions supplied with travel voucher were very clear.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train First Class, Laos Group Tour, Sep 5, 2025

4.4

229 customer reviews

44%

16%

18%

21%

Luang Prabang to Vientiane Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Taxi	RG Adventure	SUV 4pax	Any time	+7h 30m	$258.66
Van	Laos Luxury Travel	Minivan	06:30	14:30	$17.00	5.0
Van	Luang Prabang Holiday Travel	Minivan	07:00	15:00	$17.72
Van	Vieng Chaleune	Regional 14pax	07:30	15:30	$15.00	2.9
Van	Vieng Chaleune	Regional 14pax	08:00	16:00	$15.00	2.9
Van	Naluang	Regional 14pax	08:30	16:30	$18.26	3.3
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	09:30	12:30	$25.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	09:50	10:30	$44.90	5.0
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	10:30	12:30	$22.00	4.7
Van	Vieng Chaleune	Regional 14pax	11:00	19:00	$15.00	2.9
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:20	12:00	$71.35	5.0
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	11:50	14:50	$25.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	12:15	10:45	$233.34
Flight	Bangkok Airways	Economy	12:45	15:05	$377.39
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	13:25	14:05	$55.56
Flight	China Eastern Airlines	Economy	13:45	11:30	$241.53
Flight	Thai AirAsia	Economy	14:35	07:35	$187.53
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	14:58	16:44	$25.50	4.3
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	15:20	10:45	$253.14
Flight	Thai AirAsia	Economy	16:05	14:15	$181.73

Transportation from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Facts about the transport from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Cheapest Transport	$21
Fastest Transport	45m
Earliest Departure	7:00 早上
Latest Departure	7:37 晚上
Departures per day	22
Distance	638 kilometers
Transport Companies	Book Best Travel and Services, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Laos Group Tour, Laos Railway by Family Service, Laos Railway by Naluang, Laos Railway by RG Adventure, RG Adventure, Thai AirAsia, Thai Airways

Popular Routes

How to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

When you want to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, you have a few options to consider. Traveling between these destinations is possible by different means of transport:

Flight
Bus
Train
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 Flight ticket.

The cost of travel will depend on the means of transport you choose for your trip. A taxi ticket is the most expensive option - it will cost you about USD 517.73. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a van as a van ticket costs as low as USD 25.08.

How much does it cost to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane?

The cost of the trip from Luang Prabang to Vientiane varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is Laos Group Tour: travelling by van expect to pay as low as USD 25.08 for your ticket.

However, if you’re after more upscale travel . The most expensive variant is to opt for a taxi - a one-way taxi ticket can cost as much as USD 517.73.

Here is a chart of the average ticket prices and transportation options available from Luang Prabang to Vientiane:

Train tickets - USD 20.78 to USD 45.71;
Van price : USD 25.08;
taxi+Train price: USD 26.28 - USD 47.55. From Luang Prabang to Vientiane starting from 09:30 Luang Prabang Transfer until 18:37 Luang Prabang Transfer
Bus tickets - USD 34.44 to USD 34.44;
taxi+Van price: USD 48.24. From Luang Prabang to Vientiane starting from 10:30 Nong Khiaw Bus Terminal until 10:30 Nong Khiaw Bus Terminal
Plane tickets - USD 52.71 to USD 265.56;
Bus+taxi price: USD 69.45. From Luang Prabang to Vientiane starting from 09:00 Luang Prabang Transfer until 09:00 Luang Prabang Transfer

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 26.43 to USD 517.73.

How many trips per day are there between Luang Prabang and Vientiane?

Depending on your choice of transportation, the number of daily trips varies.

Vans from Luang Prabang to Vientiane depart during the day - there are approximately 8 departures a day.
Flights from Luang Prabang to Vientiane depart during the day - there are approximately 6 departures a day.
Buses start plying the route from 07:30 - you can also take a bus as late as 14:00. There are 5 available bus trips every day.
Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Luang Prabang to Vientiane any time of the day.

Which means of transport is the best for the route?

Flights

Traveling by plane is the fastest way to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. While it’s often the most expensive option, tool, occasionally you can grab promotional tickets for more or less the price of a train or a ferry ticket. Normally, the minimum you need to pay for a Plane ticket is USD 52.71.

Things to remember before boarding a plane:

It’s recommended to book a ticket in advance and check-in online. This way, you can save over 2 hours at the airport, and if your seat selection is on a first come first served basis you will have more options to choose from.
Getting through security checks may take some time - it’s recommended to get to the airport at least 1.5 hours in advance.

Airlines flying from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Thai AirAsia (แอร์เอเชีย), Thai Airways

Buses

Taking a bus from Luang Prabang to Vientiane 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 Luang Prabang to Vientiane. 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 26.43.

Things to remember: It's a good idea to follow the route on Google Maps or any other GPS navigator.

Trains

Things to remember while choosing a train ticket:
Consider everything carefully while choosing the class of your train travel. In most cases, the second class is comfortable enough – it features 2 or 4 berths in each compartment and is often air-conditioned.

If you’re in for a premium experience, consider getting a first class ticket. The price of first class tickets may include Wifi, and a choice of snacks and drinks.

Vans

A shared van is another means of transport for traveling from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. 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 Luang Prabang to Vientiane.

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 Luang Prabang to Vientiane

How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Luang Prabang to Vientiane? 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:

27% users enjoyed a train ride.
26% chosen taxi+Train
19% chosen Bus+taxi
19% chosen taxi+Van
7% opted for a van.
1% Other

Luang Prabang to Vientiane