Vientiane to Pakse by bus, van, flight, taxi from LAK 412,066

Vientiane to Pakse Destination Reviews

Dirk B

The bus and the comfort were ok. The sleeping cabin was interesting. For two people sitting next to each other with hand luggage, it is quite small and not really comfortable. However, as an experience, it was fine. smile The road was really terrible, which of course is not the bus company's fault. But it is part of the experience and did not allow us to get much sleep! Overall, it was a mixed experience. But this is more a personal feeling of the journey than a criticism of the provider! The bus, driver, service and punctuality were ok.

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Family Service (Family Service), Nov 14, 2025

Tereza F

The bus is way worse than what you see in the pictures. It’s the oldest and shabbiest bus at the whole station (around 20 buses), one usb in the bed did not work and the other did not charge so it was absolutely unusable. The toilet was all wet as there was a huge water tank spilling water everywhere but not that smelly. The temperature in the bus was perfect but AC didn't work for some time during morning so it was pretty hot but they solved the problem in few hours. We were the only tourists on the whole bus, the rest were locals. The bed was too short - 150 cm so even us 165cm tall couldn't sleep well! It looked quite clean (blankets, sheets and good pillows). Small water bottle was provided. Locals made noise from 5 am (loud calls, talking). We got to the station 1.5h ahead of departure to exchange the voucher and the were almost the last ones to check-in so we couldn't choose our bed and got the second floor in the back (guess locals don’t buy online and have their tickets with seats straight away). I didn't believe that we would not sleep at all (I am hard sleeper and can sleep everywhere) but my back hurt so much that I actually didn't sleep more than a few hours. I guess this is simply a transport for locals and have no clue how we ended up there 😆

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Kriangkai Transport (Kriangkai Transport), Nov 12, 2025

Kassandra D

We paid about 1,000,000 kip for two people (if we had gone directly to the Southern Bus Station, it would have only cost 600,000 kip). We left in an old bus where the air conditioning didn’t work, and after a short time, it started to smell like exhaust fumes — it became hard to breathe. The trip was supposed to be from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., but around 10 p.m. to midnight, we were stuck on the side of the road while the staff tried to repair the bus — without success. Then we continued until 2 a.m., when we stopped again for another two hours. Eventually, a new bus arrived (not a sleeper, just a regular one), which took us another two hours until we had to change buses again around 6:30 a.m. The third bus was another old sleeper bus, already used before — trash everywhere, dirty blankets, everything filthy. We finally arrived in Pakse at 1 p.m., five hours late. They clearly knew the bus was broken before departure and shouldn’t have started the trip in the first place.

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Chit Prasong (ຈິດປະສົງ), Nov 6, 2025

Irene H

We took the night bus from Vientiane to Pakse. It was a nice bus with beds. We could sleep the whole night (we are good sleepers!). The personal was very kind. There were USB in each bed to charge the phone however they were not working. The bus drop us off in Pakse in a different location than the one indicated.

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Chit Prasong (ຈິດປະສົງ), Oct 25, 2025

גצ

גיתית צ

We arrived more than an hour and a half later than promised because of vehicle problems. Also none of the staff knew English so we didn't know how long the stop was, and the bus just started going - i had to run to the middle of the road to stop it. The bus itself was standard, nothing to mention

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Chit Prasong (ຈິດປະສົງ), Sep 17, 2025

Reach R

They did not have proper advise of the trip. The bus water leaking everywhere i couldnt sleep. The Bus run without stopping for us to relax half way.

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Green Paradise, Jul 21, 2025

Marine S

1) We left right on time, and arrived ~1 hour early. 2) Drivers' job was hard: many, many postal packages to pick-up (doubling as postman); bus that broke at one point and they did find the issue and resolved it while it was pinch dark and pouring rain (doubling as mechanics) 3) Bus was full but people kept it super quiet and calm 4) We got water bottle and cookies 5) Not the most comfortable but also not awful, clear small beds/pods that gives you "some" privacy. 6) Finding the bus booth, exchanging the voucher was quite straightforward - laos people helped us find the right bus in the swarm of night buses all leaving at the same time

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Kriangkai Transport (Kriangkai Transport), May 29, 2025

Greg E

Great trip, slept most of way, just no room on top to sit up and have a drink of water 😉

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeping Bus, Chanthachone Transportation, May 3, 2025

Devon R

They didn't pick me up to go to the station as advertised in the PDF and ticket purchase. I had another company offer me a ride since they were already at my hostel and they were WAY more helpful

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Minivan + Sleeper Bus, Soutchai Travel (ບໍລິສັດ ສຸດໃຈທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ຈໍາກັດຜູ້ດຽວ), Mar 25, 2025

Simon W

I have applied for a discount because the service arrived three hours late. I paid for the higher price to arrive at 6 am but it arrived at nearly 9 am. I was not comfortable. I am too old too to Sleep in a sleeper bus. The extra three hours after a long trip is really not enjoyable. The toilet on the bus is cramped and hard to use. But they did stop halfway for people to use a proper toilet.

Vientiane to Pakse, Bus Sleeper, Green Paradise, Mar 9, 2025

4.4

134 customer reviews

34%

35%

16%

15%

Vientiane to Pakse Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Taxi	RG Adventure	Van 9pax	Any time	+11h	$375.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	07:30	08:45	$85.76	4.7
Bus	MMB Travel	Sleeper Bus	08:00	20:00	$30.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	08:30	14:00	$121.15	5.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	10:30	11:30	$84.77	4.7
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:05	10:15	$206.54	5.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:25	12:25	$86.42	4.7
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:55	12:55	$85.76	4.7
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	14:00	15:00	$92.73	4.7
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	16:00	17:00	$96.90	4.7
Bus	Chanthachone Transportation	Sleeping Bus	17:00	06:00	$21.25
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	17:30	18:30	$85.47	4.7
Bus	Soutchai Travel	Sleeper	18:00	06:00	$13.01
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	18:20	19:20	$99.00	4.7
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	18:45	13:35	$302.17	4.0
Flight	VietJet Air	Economy	19:20	13:35	$428.85
Bus	Chit Prasong	Sleeper	20:00	09:00	$16.14	4.0
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	21:10	22:10	$92.39	4.7

Transportation from Vientiane to Pakse

Facts about the transport from Vientiane to Pakse

Cheapest Transport	$19
Fastest Transport	1h
Earliest Departure	8:05 AM
Latest Departure	8:00 PM
Departures per day	24
Distance	725 kilometers
Transport Companies	Chit Prasong, Family Service, Green Paradise, KP 79 Transportation, Kriangkai Transport, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, RG Adventure, Sarah Transport, Sarah Transport Laos, Soutchai Travel

Popular Routes

How to get from Vientiane to Pakse

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

Flight
Bus
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 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 912.25. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a bus+van as a bus+van ticket costs as low as USD 19.00.

How much does it cost to get from Vientiane to Pakse?

The cost of the trip from Vientiane to Pakse varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is Soutchai Travel (ບໍລິສັດ ສຸດໃຈທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ຈໍາກັດຜູ້ດຽວ): travelling by bus+van expect to pay as low as USD 19.00 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 912.25.

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

Bus+Van price: USD 19.00 - USD 25.63. From Vientiane to Pakse starting from 18:00 Vientiane Transfer until 18:00 Vientiane Transfer
Bus tickets - USD 20.17 to USD 31.88;
Bus+taxi price: USD 23.90. From Vientiane to Pakse starting from 18:00 Vientiane Transfer until 18:00 Vientiane Transfer
Van price : USD 27.99 - USD 30.79;
Plane tickets - USD 88.29 to USD 112.28;

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 471.25 to USD 912.25.

How many trips per day are there between Vientiane and Pakse?

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

Flights from Vientiane to Pakse depart during the day - there are approximately 12 departures a day.
Buses start plying the route from 20:00 - you can also take a bus as late as 20:00. There are 6 available bus trips every day.
3 by Bus+Van from Vientiane to Pakse starting from 18:00 Vientiane Transfer until 18:00 Vientiane Transfer
Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Vientiane to Pakse 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 Pakse. 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 88.29.

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 Pakse

Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines

Buses

Taking a bus from Vientiane to Pakse 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 Pakse. 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 471.25.

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 Vientiane to Pakse. 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 Pakse.

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 Pakse

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

86% decided to go for a bus.
7% chosen Bus+Van
2% users took a plane.
2% chosen Bus+taxi
2% decided to catch a taxi.
1% Other

Vientiane to Pakse