Laos Railway by Naluang

Could have been a 5. You still need to exchange your voucher to the paper ticket via a person - can’t it be sent to our email add or have a dedicated booth in the train station for paper ticket redemption? Next, there was a lady in the carriage who I think is selling perfume or mosquito repellant, she talks so loud - for me it’s screaming. Passengers can’t rest while in the train.

Everything was exactly as advertised and worked perfectly.

Smooth transfer

Naluang was excellent — they replied quickly and were very helpful throughout. When our train was cancelled, they explained the alternatives clearly and arranged the change without delay. 12Go, on the other hand, was disappointing. Their responses were slow, and they sent us incorrect information: the voucher showed a departure time and train number that didn’t exist on the official timetable. We only got it fixed because we noticed the mistake ourselves and pushed back. Without that, we would have gone to the station at the wrong time.

Great support. Everything ok!

Ticket confirmation is very along

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

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

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.

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

Customer service was not up to standard

The train ticket had a different passport number on it, which caused some confusion at the entrance check. After showing my booking and passport, I was allowed to enter.

The agency got us the tickets we asked for and the paper tickets collecting was really quick and efficient.

I didn't like the service of 12go so much. The train tickets arrived very late, and the need to pick up the tickets at a different place again, doesn't make it easier.

It's a good trip but 2 things stop it being a 5 star score. One, the station is quite a bit out of town at both ends (over 10km at the Luang Prabang end) so be prepared to pay as much for the train ticket again for tuktuks into town at either end or be prepared for a hot and sweaty walk from Vang Vieng. Two, you need to be fully registered with the train in advance. Don't just book it on 12Go or other 3rd party app and turn up just before the train is ready to go. Think of it as though you were going to fly from an airport and you need to do the pre check in up front. It's easy enough but you need to go to a restaurant before you get to the station to register your details. I'd recommend you do this the day before if it's not too inconvenient, otherwise at least 90mins before the departure. Bring your passport (or at least a good picture of your passport details page on your phone) and a recent digital picture of yourself, and then they will register your details with the actual train company. Then you can come back to the restaurant on the day 30-45mins before the actual departure to pick up your scanned photo and passport registered train ticket. Then head to the station (5mins from the restaurant). It's nice and modern with aircon and facilities like food and drink and duty free etc. Wait around till you're called forward and then they'll scan your QR code and you can get on the train. It's not Bullet Train or Maglev fast but clean modern and fast enough 180kph. Only takes just over an hour to get between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang compared to the 7+hrs that a minibus would take! Definitely worth doing just do your homework with the checkin to avoid being caught out on the day. Also note that like with planes you can't take aerosol products on the train so no cans of deodorant etc. Your bags have to go through an airport style scanner before you board and they will confiscate if they find.

I got the confirmation 2 days before the departure day. Took the ticket from a restaurant 2 minutes far from the station. Everything was fine

The chat bot said they the date of our ticket was changed as requested but we kept asking for a confirmation email and didn't get one. Absolutely impossible to talk to a real person. Tickets hadn't been changed, awful experience

My train ticket BW4233235 from Luang Prabang to Vientiane on 16/11 at 11:50 was sold out. Your team texted me and suggested to change to later train but we have to take Flight from Vientiane to Ho Chi Minh at 6:30pm. Therefore we ask tor cancellation and refund but there is no confirmation from 12Go officially. The support team reply too slow and didn’t pick up the phone, poor service. How is our booking and refund?

My booking experience with you was terrible . The ticket was only conformed the night before and only after I went to the restaurant to see if it was there.l spent my whole time in Vang Viena worrying if was going to get out. Compare this with my booking with you from Vientiane to Vang Veng where I go a confirmation and the ticket ( no pick up needed) on my phone 4 days in advance . So why was that not possible for this part of my trip? I tried using your help line but go no reply.

Road it self was great, comfortable. But for some reason for me and my wife were purchased tickets in different couches. And I understand if there was no place in my couch but it was completely empty.

Poor information travel agent

Quite comfortable although mattress very hard compaired to other operators.

Excellent and very fast over all, but always can be some improvement! The point on map which you send me in confirmation is located behind the main entrance, but to go through you need a ticket. We went to ticket office (right side if the building) and know to not go to counter but tried to get connections with some of the people and it happened like that - one of people there ask from which company are we looking for the ticket and ask another person to bring them to us - fast and easy but maybe it will be easier to everyone to have some mark 12go visible publicly (if is not prohibited). Everything in total 5min and we were again inside with the tickets. Thank you very much!

Travel company rang me a few days previous to check my booking and sent me a pdf via email. A woman met us at the booking office in Vientiane to give us our tickets (the next time we already had our tickets via QR code which was easier). The stations are like airports and have security (no aerosols!)- boarding begins 20 minutes before and there are big queues. However, it was overall a very easy and smooth experience for us.

the ticket picked up station was for a diiferent time to the booking. I had a 3 hour wait at the station as I was already there and had checked out of my hotel. Should have been notified by email of the change as my mobile number does not work in Laos.

Excellent service. Everything went to plan as per 12Go instructions.

We were told pick up was 1 o'clock. No one arrived till 130. I rang the agent and didn't get a response from her disappointing and stressful.

Everything was perfectly taken care off

Precise and clean

thought we got in the taxi allocated for us, turns out it was someone impersonating ours so despite it being included in the package we still had to pay. When we arrived, had to wait 30+ minutes for someone to arrive with our tickets, very unhelpful staff! But once we were on the train itself we were fine!

It was great I highly recommend this excursion. The guide was great even though it rained all day he made the day very fun.

70% of the bus staff were unbelievably rude to the 4 tourists (including us) and were kind to all the locals. They were treating us like dirt, put us at the very back of the bus and made us have two people in a single bed, when they didn’t do the same to any of the local travellers. The departure time was delayed for 40 minutes and when we got to the Vietnamese border, where we were supposed to sleep, they turned the bus and aircon off so it became a sauna and was very difficult to sleep. The staff, on top of being rude to us tourists, didn’t give us any information as to what was going on, they’d just shake their head in disgust and wave us away like we’re pests when we asked. I’d suggest the staff to sort out their attitudes towards tourists or get another job where they don’t have to be around us.

Got us there smoothly, but we were 1.5 hours early for the train so I feel like we didn’t need to get picked up that early

worked perfectly. had to go pick the ticket up myself but that wasn’t an issue

My seats don’t have no windows. I can’t enjoy any view

The transfer I booked didn’t come, therefore I had to pay an expensive other transfer and at the train station I waited a long time before I got my ticket

Easy 2 hour train ride ….took first class but really not worth the extra money for 2 hours. But nice to have the room 12Go handover of tickets at Vientiane Railway was easy as 1-2 Go

The managing lady was really helpful via WhatsApp. I even managed to get some stuff I couldn’t bring on the train to go in a minivan of the company to pick up at the destination later. Top quality support!

Easy, organized and comfortable

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

Unclear about how to retrieve the ticket, lack of communication

Easy ride. It was quick going through security (we just had to take out the Lao wines we purchased so that security can verify there were no snakes/exotic animals in the wine). It was overkill coming 90 minutes in advance but maybe it’s because the day we travelled wasn’t a popular travel day. Space is limited for large suitcases so try to get into the train early. Overall, the train was quick, comfy, and efficient.

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

Process to get to station and get ticket was not clear and required clarification from multiple people and a mini scam.

No issues with

Really helpful and attentive. Was messaging Lee Na on wattsapp throughout and she was very helpful. we booked very late and were a big group of 11 and she made sure to get us all on the bus together and book us for private transfer. Thank you

The train is modern, fast & clean.

Great journey. Beware of the silly security restrictions which prevent camping knives and aerosols being allowed on board