Luang Prabang to Vientiane

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Luang Prabang to Vientiane Destination Reviews

Camille C

The train has been delayed and then cancelled so had had to rebook an all new trip without refund!

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, May 10, 2026

Karsten

It was nice. Train is a bit slow

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train First Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, May 4, 2026

Oyku G

The vehicle itself was fine. It’s a very clean, comfy and fast train and would give 5 stars. But our tickets were not confirmed for days after purchase. I emailed about it and was told I’ld get the ticket 24 hours prior. Still, I didn’t get it and emailed again. They said the train was full, I could take the other one. I said okay but “my friend is also waiting on her ticket for the same train can you change hers to and emailed her booking number” (The person on the phone told me, we just started calling people, we will call your friend too). W are three people traveling but since we decided to come along at different times, we had different bookings, our initial train was 12 pm, one friend booked through company website and already had her ticket, mine was delayed to 2 pm. The morning of the train, other friend still had no ticket, no email about refund, or sold out train. By the time we got to the train station (10 am because we had a whole day planned) every train was sold out except for 6 pm so she bought another ticket. One hour before the 12 pm train she received an email informing about the refund. In short, our whole travel day was ruined merely because 12go didn’t inform us the train was sold out. That can be done days before and we could book the next train right away altogether. My friend had to wait at the station for more than 8 hours.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, May 3, 2026

Max W

It was a £7 ticket so I wasn’t expecting luxury. But half way through the journey the fans turned off so whenever the train was stationary I had to stand by the window. Between 2-6am this is not ideal when I’ve been awake the whole time beforehand. If you want a sleeper cabin then book ahead in advance.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Apr 30, 2026

Jennifer

Luang Prabang Station is vastly imposing architecturally and evidently built with a long term view on rail traffic through Laos. There's coffee shops, a cafe and a 7/11, and signage is multilingual.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Apr 9, 2026

Marco K

Guys, you must tell us that you screen the whole lugage! In Europe noone does. So i had a handmade knife with me and you Took it away. There ist no Way to Check the knife in. There ist no Way to send it by Post. Nothing. You just Took it away!

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Mar 30, 2026

Lars

High price and tickets have been sent quite late. Half a day before departure.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Mar 22, 2026

Wenjia W

Ticket issuing was quite late and made me worried and wrote a few emails to you. There are also too many emails asking for feedback. However, the response to my inquiry is almost instant, that's a good point.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Mar 21, 2026

Stephanie R

This was my first booking through 12Go. I received my confirmation about six hours before departure, which made me feel a bit nervous. However, the problem was that I was sent a QR code that didn't actually work. At the train platform, I was directed to the ticket counter, where the staff told me they couldn't locate my booking because it hadn't been booked directly through their company. I felt a bit overwhelmed by the situation and wished I had been better informed about the process beforehand. Then, a woman approached me who was holding my ticket. I have no idea where she came from or why she had the ticket, but I was simply grateful that everything worked out and that I managed to catch my train.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Mar 20, 2026

Vinod

Full peace of mind

Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Train Second Class Seat, Laos Railway by Family Service, Mar 17, 2026

4.4

394 customer reviews

49%

18%

16%

Luang Prabang to Vientiane Schedule

Type	Operator	Class	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Price	Rating
Taxi	RG Adventure	SUV 4pax	Any time	+7h 30m	$263.95
Van	Laos Luxury Travel	Minivan	06:30	14:30	$17.00	5.0
Van	Luang Prabang Holiday Travel	Minivan	07:00	15:00	$17.72
Van	Vieng Chaleune	Regional 14pax	07:30	15:30	$15.00	2.9
Van	Vieng Chaleune	Regional 14pax	08:00	16:00	$15.00	2.9
Van	Naluang	Regional 14pax	08:30	16:30	$18.63	3.3
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	09:30	12:30	$25.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	09:50	10:30	$45.76	5.0
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	10:30	12:30	$22.00	4.7
Van	Vieng Chaleune	Regional 14pax	11:00	19:00	$15.00	2.9
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	11:20	12:00	$72.71	5.0
Train	Laos Group Tour	Second Class	11:50	14:50	$25.00
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	12:15	10:45	$233.34
Flight	Bangkok Airways	Economy	12:45	15:05	$383.24
Flight	Lao Airlines	Economy	13:25	14:05	$55.56
Flight	China Eastern Airlines	Economy	13:45	11:30	$245.27
Flight	Thai AirAsia	Economy	14:35	07:35	$190.44
Train	Laos Railway by RG Adventure	Second Class Seat	14:58	16:44	$26.03	4.3
Flight	Vietnam Airlines	Economy	15:20	10:45	$257.06
Flight	Thai AirAsia	Economy	16:05	14:15	$184.54

How to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Travelling between Luang Prabang and Vientiane is possible by Flight, bus, train, van and taxi. Flight guarantees the fastest travel on this route. Taxi+van is the slowest option.

The most expensive ticket will cost you USD 68.79 if you go by Train; to keep it budget-friendly, opt for a train which will set you back mere USD 19.19.

How long does it take to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane?

It can take you anywhere between 1 and 11 hours to travel between Luang Prabang and Vientiane depending on the means of transport you choose.

Flight is the fastest way to travel between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Flight will bring you to your destination in 45m. Taxi+van does a much slower job and take about 10h 30m to reach Vientiane.

How much does it cost to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane?

Travelling between Luang Prabang and Vientiane can be as cheap as USD 19.19 if you opt for a Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure) train and as expensive as USD 68.79 if you buy a Laos China Railways (Guangdong Piaoduoduo) Train ticket.

Here is the list of how much you can expect to pay travelling by each means of transport available for this route.

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

33 from Luang Prabang to Vientiane starting from 10:20 Luang Prabang Railway Station until 19:22 Luang Prabang Railway Station
9 by taxi+Train from Luang Prabang to Vientiane starting from 10:30 Luang Prabang Transfer until 17:00 Luang Prabang Transfer
3 from Luang Prabang to Vientiane starting from 08:00 Luang Prabang Transfer until 14:00 Luang Prabang Transfer

Check above for a bus, train, flight and ferry timetable from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.

What mode of transportation is the best one for my route?

Flights

Flying is the fastest and often the most expensive way to travel from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, but with a bit of luck you can score very good deals for as little as USD 64.37.

Things to remember: Note that some of the airlines may have restrictions on checked luggage weight or require paying extra for check-in, choosing seats or transportation of oversized luggage.

If opting for a flight, calculate the time you will spend getting to and from the airports as well as the waiting time before your flight, getting through immigration in case of an international flight and recovering your checked luggage.

In certain cases all these procedures can add no less than 5 hours to your total travel time.

Airlines flying between Luang Prabang and Vientiane

Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines

Bus

Travelling from Luang Prabang to Vientiane overland will inevitably take longer but in many cases it is the cheapest option if you opt for a bus.

Things to remember: For a more comfortable ride opt for a higher-class bus wherever possible. These buses usually have soft reclining seats and are equipped with air-conditioning and on-board toilets.

They often include water, snacks or a light lunch into your ticket price and make bathroom stops en-route.

Companies operating bus routes between Luang Prabang and Vientiane

Book Best Travel and Services

Taxi

Some travellers consider taxi to be the most convenient form of overland transport thanks to flexible departure times, a possibility to choose the size of the car you need, and a hassle-free door-to-door service.

Things to remember: If you are planning to make detours during your trip, discuss it with your driver or service provider in advance as it may affect the price.

Companies offering charters between Luang Prabang and Vientiane

Laos Railway by RG Adventure (RG Adventure), RG Adventure

Train

Train is a often a great choice for long-haul travel especially if you opt for a night sleeper train with berths which will allow you to sleep all your journey through. To make the most of your train journey, choose the class of your ticket wisely.

Note that there are air-conditioned and fan-only carriages; private compartments for 2 or 4; hard and soft seats.
Though the upper class you get the smoother is your journey, often second class air-conditioned or fan-only sleepers are a good money saving alternative.

Van

Vans are a great alternative - or, in many cases - your only option - if you need to travel overland within one and the same province or neighbouring provinces or states. Vans ply the roads between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, too.

Things to remember: When travelling by van with huge luggage buying a separate seat for your suitcase or backpack is a good idea. Do not expect there is a roomy luggage compartment in a van - there is actually none and your fellow passengers are unlikely to appreciate your luggage stuck under their feet, alas.

Companies operating vans between Luang Prabang and Vientiane

Luang Prabang Holiday Travel, Vieng Chaleune (เวียงเจริญ)

What is the most popular transport to get from Luang Prabang to Vientiane?

There is a choice of transportation means any time of the day with Train remaining the most popular option due to their reasonable pricing and comfort.

Out of 1000 travellers who bought tickets for this route

31% took a train
21% chosen Bus+taxi
21% bought a taxi ride
20% chosen taxi+Van
3% took a van
2% chosen taxi+Train
1% Other

Transportation from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Facts about the transport from Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Cheapest Transport	$20
Fastest Transport	45m
Earliest Departure	7:00 AM
Latest Departure	7:22 PM
Departures per day	45
Distance	525 kilometers
Transport Companies	Book Best Travel and Services, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Lao Airlines, Laos China Railways, Laos Railway by Family Service, Laos Railway by Naluang, Laos Railway by RG Adventure, Luang Prabang Holiday Travel, RG Adventure, Vieng Chaleune