I had an e-ticket so didn’t need to pick up the ticket.
Took a taxi from the city $50.000 Kip.
You need to show passport and e-ticket, your bags go through x-ray (like the airport)
Ticket indicates your seat in the train.
Train is super modern. You can buy snacks on board.
Overall great experience
The bus left Luang Prabang 3.5 hours late and arrived in Vang Vieng 4 hours late. The bus service had more people packed in than seats available so we each had very little room and after picking up even more people on the route I ended up with a stranger sitting in my feet. The roads they drove down could barely even be called roads with us getting stuck multiple times but I guess that's not the bus's fault
Bus left late and the vehicle was different than the one I booked. No AC like promised and the driver had the most awful music on. Usually wouldn’t be bothered but for a 9 hour drive it was awful. For the money you pay you would expect better service and/or explanation.
The ride was okay! It was 5 hours, not 9 hours which was good! The van itself is small, and the driver squeezes 14 people in it, so if your at the back row then good luck, especially if your a bigger person.
But the driver was friendly, stopped of once, and got here quick!
I came one hour before the time and the van departed half an hour late. The driver changed the van and when I realized, the locals that arrived way after me filled the van and only when the van was full they told me to go inside. I got the worst seat at the back, shoulder to shoulder with 3 local guys and could barely move my legs. The other people got fine seats and I had to stay 4 hours in that uncomfortable seat in a horrible road. Only when a man left, I could go to his place.
I don't complain for the road, because it's not their fault, but the attitude of sending me to the worst seat, since I arrived first and probably payed way more
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