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

Vientiane to Luang Prabang Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Taxi	RG Adventure	SUV 4pax	Any time	+7h 30m	$253.50
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	06:00	09:16	$23.83
Train	Laos Railway by Family Service	Second Class Seat	07:00	11:24	$18.79
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	07:30	09:16	$22.31	4.8
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	07:55	14:00	$335.61
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	08:15	09:00	$61.34	3.0
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	08:42	11:24	$19.68	4.8
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	09:00	16:25	$234.28
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	09:45	11:49	$23.32	4.3
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	10:10	16:25	$232.41
Flight	China Southern Airlines	Economy	10:35	12:40	$239.48
Van	Chit Prasong	Minivan	11:00	18:00	$15.26	3.8
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:35	12:20	$207.05
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:55	12:40	$61.42	3.0
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	12:30	15:30	$23.83
Train	Laos Railway by Naluang	Second Class Reserved Seats	13:30	15:30	$23.32	4.3
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	13:55	14:40	$60.94	3.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	14:30	20:20	$322.91
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	14:50	20:25	$268.88
Flight	China Eastern Airlines	Economy	15:50	12:40	$297.50

Transportation from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

Facts about the transport from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

Cheapest Transport	$20
Fastest Transport	45m
Earliest Departure	6:00 ص
Latest Departure	3:00 م
Departures per day	38
Distance	638 kilometers
Transport Companies	Chit Prasong, Family Service, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Laos Railway by Family Service, Laos Railway by RG Adventure, RG Adventure

Vientiane to Luang Prabang Destination Reviews

Philip

Had people waiting for us at the ticket office with our tickets 🎫. Perfect

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #D887 Second Class Reserved Seats, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Feb 27, 2025

Loris M

Unclear about how to retrieve the ticket, lack of communication

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #D888 Second Class Reserved Seats, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Feb 25, 2025

Tommy N

The agent should have some sort of uniform or signage so tourists can spot them out in a crowd.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #C92 Second Class Reserved Seats, Laos Railway by Naluang (Laos Railway by Naluang), Dec 17, 2024

Didier G

Excellent for expérience but not 2 !!!

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Van Minivan, Chit Prasong (ຈິດປະສົງ), Dec 18, 2023

Jordi C

I give the trip a 5, for the following, we left late and arrived late, but in between there was a horrible road, a 10 for the driver, who was 8 hours Hyper focused on the road, the worst I have ever driven on , more than 200 km, potholes, dirt, tarmac, herds of cows, more potholes, more dirt, crazy, not the best way to go to Luang Prabang, but the driver was a professional

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Van Minivan, Chit Prasong (ຈິດປະສົງ), Dec 18, 2023

Joy T

My ticket arrived via email a few days before my travel date. Everything was very smooth and easy.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #C82 First Class Seat, Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure ), Dec 7, 2023

Tim Y

Bought a train ticket from Vientiane to Luang Prabang a day before the trip and less than 20 mins later I had the confirmation with QR code in my (e)mailbox. Smooth and fast!

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #C82 First Class Seat, Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure ), Nov 4, 2023

Anne P

Plug under the seat , comfy , on time , "modern" , fast , nice view, nice staff , nice stations, sell food and drinks in

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train #C84 Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure ), Sep 13, 2023

Simon H

Pickup was exactly on time, all went very smoothly and it was an excellent journey

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train First Class Seat, Laos Railway by Soutchai (Soutchai Travel), Jul 5, 2023

Hi-.-su@nifty.com

　The Chinese version of the bullet train that China built in Laos.　It was a very good experience.　Thank you very much. 　I think the experience on the bullet train is not relevant to 12GO, so I would like to comment next on the transportation to the station. 　The pick-up is too early. 　The pick up at the hotel was supposed to be at 13:00, but they came before 12:00, I was not there, and they were able to pick me up again around 12:20.　Isn't it strange that they come more than an hour before as expected?　Also, it seemed that not everyone on that bus was going to the Shinkansen station, so when I got off the bus, they handed me a Shinkansen ticket with a "Hi! and that was it!　It was right in front of the station, so we didn't get lost, but I think it would be better if they would check with us to make sure the tickets were correct or something.

This review was autotranslated

Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Soutchai (Soutchai Travel), May 7, 2023

4.4

118 customer reviews

42%

20%

24%

14%

Popular Routes

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 USD 504.63. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a van as a van ticket costs as low as USD 19.09.

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 USD 19.09 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 504.63.

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

Van price : USD 19.09 - USD 23.89;
Bus+Van price: USD 19.77. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 08:30 Vientiane Northern Bus Station until 08:30 Vientiane Northern Bus Station
Bus+Train price: USD 23.53 - USD 39.96. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:00 Vientiane Transfer until 14:00 Vientiane Transfer
Train+Van price: USD 26.88. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 14:00 Vientiane Transfer until 14:00 Vientiane Transfer
taxi+Train price: USD 29.77 - USD 50.32. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:00 Vientiane Transfer until 15:00 Vientiane Transfer
Train tickets - USD 42.53 to USD 63.08;
taxi+Van price: USD 48.46. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 07:00 Vientiane Transfer until 07:00 Vientiane Transfer
Plane tickets - USD 48.64 to USD 305.42;

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 360.45 to USD 504.63.

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

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

11 by taxi+Train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:00 Vientiane Transfer until 15:00 Vientiane Transfer
9 by Bus+Train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 06:00 Vientiane Transfer until 14:00 Vientiane Transfer
Trains always run on a set schedule - there are 7 trains per day.
Flights from Vientiane to Luang Prabang depart during the day - there are approximately 5 departures a day.
Vans from Vientiane to Luang Prabang depart during the day - there are approximately 3 departures a day.
1 by Train+Van from Vientiane to Luang Prabang starting from 14:00 Vientiane Transfer until 14:00 Vientiane Transfer
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 USD 48.64.

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

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 USD 360.45.

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:

29% users enjoyed a train ride.
29% chosen taxi+Van
28% chosen taxi+Train
9% opted for a van.
1% Other

Vientiane to Luang Prabang