Rail Travel to Laos · Information for Passengers

Passengers travelling to Laos by train must change at Nong Khai station, the shuttle train crosses the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge to Khamsavath station in Vientiane.

Thai immigration formalities are completed at Nong Khai station boarding the shuttle. Lao immigration is completed on arrival at Khamsavath. Please allow at least 45 minutes for both procedures.

Passengers must carry a valid passport. Thai citizens may also use a border pass, is valid only for nearby provinces. Visitors of other nationalities should check visa requirements before .

Each passenger may bring up to 30 kilograms of luggage. Bicycles may be carried on the shuttle there is space.

Tickets for the shuttle can be bought at Nong Khai station. Please note that the shuttle only twice a day, so passengers are advised to plan their journey carefully missing the connection.

Eleven Hours, Two Countries, One River · by Bas Charoensuk

I have flown to other countries before, but I have never a border by train. On Friday night, my friend Kai and I boarded the sleeper train in Bangkok with two backpacks and a bag of mangoes.

The journey took eleven hours. We passed rice fields, sleeping towns and stations lit a single yellow lamp. In the dining car, we met Souk, a Lao student studies in Bangkok. She taught us more about Laos in one evening our textbooks had in three years.

At Nong Khai, we changed to a small shuttle train that crossed the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong. the train reached the middle of the bridge, I looked down at the wide brown river and realised that I was crossing a line that exists on maps but not in the water.

Vientiane felt both familiar and different. The language was close to Thai that we could understand most signs, yet the food, the money and the pace of life were different. People seemed rushed, and nobody honked their horns.

Souk had told us about the new railway to China, and about the hopes and fears it brought. I left with more questions than answers, which I think is a sign of a good journey. Next time, I to take that railway north and see where it leads.

Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) – Nong Khai – Vientiane (Khamsavath)

Train 133 (Express sleeper): Depart Bangkok 20:00 · Arrive Udon Thani 05:40 · Arrive Nong Khai 06:45

Shuttle 945: Depart Nong Khai 07:30 · Arrive Khamsavath 07:45

Shuttle 947: Depart Nong Khai 16:30 · Arrive Khamsavath 16:45

Return shuttle 946: Depart Khamsavath 10:00 · Arrive Nong Khai 10:15

Return shuttle 948: Depart Khamsavath 17:30 · Arrive Nong Khai 17:45

Return Train 134 (Express sleeper): Depart Nong Khai 18:50 · Arrive Bangkok 06:35 (next day)

Note (sample timetable for practice; check real times before travelling): Allow at least 45 minutes for immigration at Nong Khai before shuttle departure. Times may change during holidays.

A Railway Through the Mountains

In December 2021, a new railway opened linking Vientiane, the capital of Laos, with the Chinese city of Kunming. The Laos section is just over 400 kilometres long and crosses some of the most mountainous land in Southeast Asia, with dozens of tunnels and bridges.

For a landlocked country like Laos, the railway offers real opportunities. Journeys that once took a whole day on winding mountain roads can now be completed in a few hours. Farmers and businesses can send goods such as fruit, rubber and minerals to Chinese markets more quickly and cheaply. The number of tourists travelling by rail has also grown, with tickets sometimes selling out days in advance.

However, the project has also raised serious concerns. It cost several billion US dollars, a very large sum for a small economy, and much of the money was borrowed. Economists have warned that repaying these debts could put pressure on the country’s budget for many years. Some families who lost land to the railway have said they were not fairly compensated.

There are also questions about who benefits most. Critics argue that large companies are better placed than small farmers to take advantage of the new connection. Supporters reply that infrastructure always takes time to change an economy, and that the full benefits may only appear after many years.

For Thailand, the railway matters too. As connections improve between Nong Khai and Vientiane, Thai travellers and businesses may soon be able to reach China by rail, linking the region in ways that were unimaginable a generation ago.

A postcard from Vientiane

Dear Mum and Dad,

We arrived safely! The night train was noisy but fun. Kai snored so loudly that the man in the next bunk knocked on the wall twice. I barely slept, but I didn’t mind, because I watched the sun rise over the rice fields near Udon.

Crossing the Mekong on the little shuttle train was the highlight so far. It only took fifteen minutes, but it felt like entering another world. Vientiane is calm and friendly. Last night we ate grilled fish at the night market by the river and paid in kip, which Souk, a Lao student we met on the train, told us to use.

Souk also told us about the new railway to China. She is proud of it, but she worries about the debt her country has taken on. It made me realise that big projects are never simply good or bad.

Tomorrow we’re going to visit the Patuxai monument and a market where Souk’s aunt sells silk. We’ll take the shuttle back on Sunday afternoon and should be home on Monday morning.

Don’t worry about us. We’re being careful and having the best time.

Love,
Bas