Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang by train, van, bus, taxi from LAK 230,856

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang Destination Reviews

Nina E

Very disappointing experience. The operator was completely unreachable – the email address and phone numbers on the voucher were invalid, so we had no way to get any information. The promised hotel pickup never happened, and the location we were given didn’t make any sense. In the end, we had to organize and pay for our own transfer, which caused unnecessary stress. The support from 12Go Asia was also not helpful, as we only received generic responses without a real solution. Overall, very unreliable and frustrating, especially as a regular customer. I would not recommend this service.

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Mar 22, 2026

Aurore B

I received the tickets at the last moment so I booked another mode of transport and it cost me twice the price… not serious

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train #K12 Hard Seat, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Mar 21, 2026

Helena V

Train was fine but Ticket pickup was at a remote restaurant in the middle of nowhere

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train #C92 Second Class Reserved Seats, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Mar 13, 2026

Karin B

I only got the train ticket after several requests and only about 5 hours before the train departure (Vang Vieng - Luan Prabang). In fact, two stars is too good a rating! Till now I haven't had any problems with 12go.

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train #C92 Second Class Reserved Seats, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Mar 8, 2026

Christopher R

Abit fussy at security at station with airport style security and scissors taken off people Apart from that it was excellent. Efficient, quick and comfortable. Even the minivans at Luang Prabang station didnt try to rip you off and were super well organised

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train #C92 Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure ), Mar 1, 2026

Sylvie D

The pick up never show up at the hotel

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Feb 25, 2026

Judy B

We.paid extra to get a transfer. From the hotel to the railway station. We were to.be picked.up at 9am for the 9.49am train but at 9.10am the transfer pick up had not arrived. We had to pay for a taxi to get us to the station otherwise we would have missed our train. 12GoAsia were not even interested when I complained. They didnt read the first.email then asked for screenshots of the.contact between us and the transfer. The transfer was through 12GoAsia, we had no.contact for the transfer. How are we supposed to provide that information? Apalling service. Just manafed to catch the train and went on our way.

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Feb 23, 2026

Etienne

Long time for the ticket with you

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class, Laos Group Tour, Feb 3, 2026

Iwona

Everything on time, no problems, clear rules.

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train #C86 Second Class Seat, China Railway (中国铁路), Jan 29, 2026

Arie H

Very late recrive of tickets

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Train #C92 Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure ), Jan 22, 2026

4.4

312 customer reviews

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Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Taxi	RG Adventure	SUV 4pax	Any time	+4h	$145.86
Van	Exploring Laos	Private Minivan 13pax	06:00	11:30	$173.00
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	08:00	09:45	$16.27	4.4
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	08:16	09:06	$14.50	2.0
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	08:55	09:46	$16.80	4.6
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	First Class Seat	09:30	12:19	$18.23
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Hard Seat	09:49	11:04	$11.62	4.7
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Hard Seat	10:06	11:22	$11.62	5.0
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	10:45	11:49	$14.49	4.6
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	12:20	13:11	$15.65	4.5
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	13:00	15:30	$13.67	4.8
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	13:30	16:00	$13.67	4.8
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	14:06	15:14	$14.49	4.6
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	14:27	15:38	$12.66	4.6
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	15:00	17:26	$13.67	4.4
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	16:00	18:06	$13.67	4.8
Train	Laos Fast Train	Second Class	16:25	17:25	$15.30	5.0
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	17:12	18:20	$14.49	4.6
Van	Exploring Laos	Private Minivan 13pax	19:00	00:30	$173.00

How to get from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang

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

Bus
Train
Van
Taxi

If you’re looking for a quick trip, it’s recommended that you use Train. However, if you’d rather take your time with a slower, more affordable travel option, you can book a Taxi+van 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 357.63. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a train as a train ticket costs as low as USD 10.77.

How much does it cost to get from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang?

The cost of the trip from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is Laos China Railways (Guangdong Piaoduoduo): travelling by train expect to pay as low as USD 10.77 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 357.63.

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

Train tickets - USD 10.77 to USD 29.55;
Train+Van price: USD 16.87 - USD 33.49. From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 08:20 Vang Vieng Transfer until 16:52 Vang Vieng Transfer
taxi+Train price: USD 18.61 - USD 32.00. From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 08:20 Vang Vieng Transfer until 10:45 Vang Vieng Railway Station
Bus+Van price: USD 20.16. From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 09:30 Vang Vieng Trendy Hotel until 09:30 Vang Vieng Trendy Hotel
Bus tickets - USD 22.17 to USD 32.70;
Van price : USD 24.05;
taxi+Van price: USD 33.98. From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 09:00 Vang Vieng Transfer until 09:00 Vang Vieng Transfer
Bus+taxi price: USD 200.37 - USD 211.20. From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 00:00 Vang Vieng Transfer until 00:00 Vang Vieng Transfer

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 230.73 to USD 357.63.

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

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

Trains always run on a set schedule - there are 23 trains per day.
10 by Train+Van from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 08:20 Vang Vieng Transfer until 16:52 Vang Vieng Transfer
8 by taxi+Train from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang starting from 08:20 Vang Vieng Transfer until 10:45 Vang Vieng Railway Station
Vans from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang depart during the day - there are approximately 1 departures a day.
Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang any time of the day.

Which means of transport is the best for the route?

Buses

Taking a bus from Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng 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 230.73.

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 Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng 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 Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang

How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Vang Vieng 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:

45% users enjoyed a train ride.
16% chosen Train+Van
14% chosen taxi+Train
14% chosen taxi+Van
7% chosen Bus+taxi
1% Other

Transportation from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang

Facts about the transport from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang

Cheapest Transport	$11
Fastest Transport	50m
Earliest Departure	12:00 AM
Latest Departure	5:41 PM
Departures per day	46
Distance	42 kilometers
Transport Companies	Book Best Travel and Services, Laos China Railways, Laos Easy Go Travel, Laos Railway by Family Service, Laos Railway by Naluang, Laos Railway by RG Adventure, RG Adventure

Popular Routes

Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang