Vientiane to Luang Prabang by train, van, bus, flight, taxi from LAK 412,500

Vientiane to Luang Prabang Destination Reviews

Anna T

the ticket arrived only at 3 am of the same day of departure at 9.50 am.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #C92 Second Class Reserved Seats, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Feb 1, 2026

Syed M

Despite my repeated messages I wasn’t contacted & there was no follow-up. I had to make my own arrangement to travel.to Luang Prabang.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Jan 27, 2026

Mads

Great train. Remember.... There is airport security. So like a plane, only carry-on luggage.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Jan 21, 2026

Bertrand

Sécurité check keep my small knife .

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #C86 First Class Seat, Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure ), Jan 21, 2026

Dominic M

Train was great. Booking it, however, is complicated through 12go. Glitchy website and app

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Jan 6, 2026

Mariano B

The costumer support was actually really bad. I was stressed out for a day because I had no tickets and the response I got from the costumer support team was terrible and inaccurate.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Dec 27, 2025

Pauline L

The seat were not confortable and I had the confirmation just 1h before departure

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Dec 18, 2025

Michel C

A little over 2 hours to travel to Luang Prabang from Vientiane. Very efficient.Train was clean and comfortable.

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

Isabelle O

Honestly, the organisation really needs improvement. The QR code is useless — you MUST print your tickets, otherwise you simply can’t board. This caused a huge waste of time. We arrived 25–30 minutes early, and they printed the first ticket, then one minute later told me they couldn’t print the second one because “it was too late.” For a train, half an hour in advance should definitely be enough… There was only one ticket counter open, the staff looked overwhelmed, and the line moved extremely slowly. Outside, there were some women trying to help passengers, but they didn’t even look like official staff — no uniform. They were basically there to translate and explain things in English. Luckily, one of them was amazing and really helped me sort things out. The train itself is new, clean, and the staff onboard is polite and well dressed, but it doesn’t make up for the rest: ➡️ two unexplained 30-minute stops, ➡️ very poor organisation, ➡️ and overall nothing close to the efficiency you find in Thailand. In short, a lot of wasted time for no reason.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Dec 11, 2025

Elena T

I booked tickets from Vientiane to Luang Prabang for tomorrow and was worried that they wouldn't be processed and approved quickly enough. But everything went smoothly, the tickets were emailed to me, and the next day I went to Luang Prabang. I quickly cleared security at the train station entrance; there are kiosks inside where you can get tea, coffee, and snacks. Passengers were allowed onto the platform to board the train 20 minutes before departure. The interior was clean, there was a restroom, and attendants offered snacks and drinks. We arrived on time. The train stations are new, large, and modern. And the trains are also new and fast. Great travel experience. Highly recommended.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Dec 11, 2025

4.4

305 customer reviews

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Vientiane to Luang Prabang Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Taxi	RG Adventure	SUV 4pax	Any time	+7h 30m	€227.20	5.0
Van	Luang Prabang Travel	Van	05:30	13:30	€16.03
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	06:00	09:16	€20.05	3.8
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	06:30	09:46	€20.05	3.4
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	07:00	11:04	€16.84	3.4
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	07:20	09:06	€18.56	4.1
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Hard Seat	07:40	11:24	€18.77
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	08:00	09:46	€23.98	4.3
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Hard Seat	08:25	11:04	€15.00	4.0
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Hard Seat	08:42	11:24	€15.00	4.0
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	09:45	11:49	€20.90	4.3
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	10:30	16:25	€148.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	10:50	11:35	€60.83	4.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:20	12:05	€41.43	4.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:45	12:30	€50.73	4.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	12:05	12:05	€235.00
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	12:30	15:40	€21.36
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	13:00	15:54	€20.90	4.3
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	13:30	15:30	€20.90	4.3
Flight	Thai AirAsia	Economy	13:50	14:05	€159.50

How to get from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

When you want to get from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, 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 EUR 454.73. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a van as a van ticket costs as low as EUR 16.19.

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

The cost of the trip from Vientiane to Luang Prabang varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is Chit Prasong (ຈິດປະສົງ): travelling by van expect to pay as low as EUR 16.19 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 EUR 454.73.

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

Van price : EUR 16.19 - EUR 19.94;
Bus tickets - EUR 19.56 to EUR 42.78;
Bus+Train price: EUR 20.28 - EUR 34.35. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:30 Vientiane Transfer until 13:30 Vientiane Transfer
Bus+Van price: EUR 21.10. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 09:00 Vientiane Garden Boutique Hotel until 09:00 Vientiane Garden Boutique Hotel
Train+Van price: EUR 24.40 - EUR 34.81. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:30 Vientiane Transfer until 06:30 Vientiane Transfer
taxi+Train price: EUR 26.83 - EUR 45.34. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 07:08 Vientiane Transfer until 08:45 Vientiane Transfer
Train tickets - EUR 38.33 to EUR 56.84;
taxi+Van price: EUR 41.09. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 07:00 Vientiane Transfer until 07:00 Vientiane Transfer
Plane tickets - EUR 42.37 to EUR 187.03;

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from EUR 324.81 to EUR 454.73.

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

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

Flights from Vientiane to Luang Prabang depart during the day - there are approximately 5 departures a day.
5 by taxi+Train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 07:08 Vientiane Transfer until 08:45 Vientiane Transfer
Trains always run on a set schedule - there are 4 trains per day.
Vans from Vientiane to Luang Prabang depart during the day - there are approximately 3 departures a day.
2 by Train+Van from Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:30 Vientiane Transfer until 06:30 Vientiane Transfer
1 by Bus+Van from Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 09:00 Vientiane Garden Boutique Hotel until 09:00 Vientiane Garden Boutique Hotel
Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Vientiane to Luang Prabang 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 Vientiane to Luang Prabang. 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 EUR 42.37.

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 Vientiane to Luang Prabang

Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines

Buses

Taking a bus from Vientiane 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 Vientiane 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 EUR 324.81.

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 Vientiane 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 Vientiane 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 Vientiane to Luang Prabang

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

25% chosen taxi+Van
25% users enjoyed a train ride.
24% chosen taxi+Train
10% chosen Bus+Train
8% opted for a van.
4% chosen Train+Van
1% Other

Transportation from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

Facts about the transport from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

Cheapest Transport	€17
Fastest Transport	45m
Earliest Departure	6:30 午前
Latest Departure	6:05 午後
Departures per day	22
Distance	638 kilometers
Transport Companies	Chit Prasong, Family Service, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Laos Easy Go Travel, Laos Luxury Travel, Laos Railway by Family Service, Laos Railway by RG Adventure, RG Adventure

Popular Routes

Vientiane to Luang Prabang