Vientiane to Chiang Mai

Vientiane to Chiang Mai

Vientiane
Chiang Mai
Sat, Mar 21
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Vientiane to Chiang Mai Destination Reviews

CB
Charlotte B
Fully understanding this company is local, I get why they only speak their language. However, when you have a large percentage of travelers who are tourists, and a vast majority of them speak English, it might be a good idea to have a local who is multi-lingual to assist travelers at the bus station AND on the bus. The stops that offer toilet breaks is confusing when people are constantly loading and unloading throughout the trip. At the very least, the rest stops should be listed on 12Go's site when purchasing the ticket, or on the app, or via text (LINE, Whatsapp) before arriving at the stop so passengers can prepare. The transfer was horrendous! Was told IN WRITING via email, "Vientiane Transfer" meant I'd be picked up at my hotel, only to find out, it was too far out, which caused me to miss the bus AND had to pay another night at the hotel. Next day took a taxi to one of the pickup places (One Vientiane Hotel) only to be told to walk (with all my luggage) to what appeared to be a laundry location, to wait for transportation to the bus station. I could've just gone to the bus station, it was closer to my hotel than the pickup spot and less LAK! Then, while waiting, the laundry person's cat, which I'm not a fan of (not a cat person) kept bothering me. It was annoying and uncomfortable, she kept calling it away. After waiting for 40 minutes she hurries me into a car with 2 other people and drives like a lunatic while arguing with someone on her cell. Get to the bus station (where I could've gone in the first place) load the bus after 30+ minutes of waiting, get to the LAO border and immigration to check out, back to the van, to Thailand immigration/boarder, then to the final bus to get back to CM. The experience was INSANE, with no one explaining anything. We all were just following each other. The best thing was the lady who waited for all passengers to get through Immigration before we boarded the van, to get to our respective buses at different locations. She spoke enough English to communicate with us effectively. I hope she gets paid very well, cause that seems like a harrowing job. But I was very thankful for her and her assistance during the entire debacle. Finally, the bus to CM arrived, but it was shaky, meaning it rocked side-to-side, and the suspension had us bouncing like balls. We were ROCKING AND ROLLING, literally! Not fun, through winding roads in the mountains! I've taken several bus lines before, but will never use this one again. Unfortunately it was the only one available for the time I wanted to get back to CM. Next time I'll fly.
Vientiane to Chiang Mai, Bus VIP, Soutchai Travel (ບໍລິສັດ ສຸດໃຈທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ຈໍາກັດຜູ້ດຽວ), Nov 15, 2025
B
Baylee
The steps for purchasing the tickets were unclear and when the driver dropped us off at the first bus station they didn’t tell us anything but the rest they were good about making sure we knew where to go. And then they said we were going VIP and when we got there it was a total different bus and we were told we were to Nong Khai but they dropped us at Udon where nothing was opened and we were not able to get anything to eat and they didn’t stop. The transportation to and from the border was great but after that we didn’t have great service
Vientiane to Chiang Mai, Bus Standard, Family Service (Family Service), Oct 7, 2025
HW
Hal W
Excellent service, small problems rectified with a smile.
Vientiane to Chiang Mai, Bus Standard, Family Service (Family Service), Jul 5, 2025
HW
Heinrich W
3 hours waiting at the station. .
Vientiane to Chiang Mai, Bus Express, Tara Tour and Travel (ธาราทัวร์แอนด์ทราเวล), Jun 12, 2025
C
Camilo
The trip that should take approximately 10-11 hrs and 1-2 buses, instead became a 19 & 1/2 hr trip and consisted of a taxi ride from Vientiane to the laos border @ 3pm, then a bus to the Thai border, 45 minute wait, then a taxi to Nong khai bus station, a hour wait, then a 1 hr bus trip to Udon Thani bus station, then another 2 hr wait, then a 11 & 1/2 hr bus ride to Chiang Mai, arriving at 9.30 am. Considering a bus ride from Vientiane to Bangkok is only around 11-12hrs . The tour company should maybe a little more transparent about the 6 transfers and the 20 hr journey, instead of the 14 hr , seemingly hassle free service they claim to provide.
Vientiane to Chiang Mai, Bus Standard, Family Service (Family Service), May 19, 2025
4.4
12 customer reviews
5
42%
4
33%
3
8%
2
17%
1
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Vientiane to Chiang Mai Schedule

TypeOperatorClassDeparture TimeArrival TimePriceRating
Flight
Jeju Air
Economy
00:01
21:35
€260.51
Flight
Jeju Air
Economy
00:55
21:35
€374.18
Flight
Jeju Air
Economy
01:25
23:45
€394.89
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
07:25
17:50
€1,245.01
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
07:55
19:00
€310.92
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
08:30
14:20
€154.75
Flight
AirAsia
Economy
09:20
11:25
€183.00
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
10:00
14:20
€142.02
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
10:30
14:20
€348.85
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
11:05
14:20
€155.82
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
11:25
14:20
€338.65
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
11:45
14:15
€201.00
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
12:05
19:10
€310.92
Flight
Scoot
Economy
12:30
16:40
€237.91
Bus
Tara Tour and Travel
Express
13:30
05:00
€47.21
Flight
Thai AirAsia
Economy
13:50
23:00
€117.89
Flight
Lao Airlines
Economy
14:30
13:45
€408.91
Flight
Thai AirAsia
Economy
14:50
23:00
€169.87
Flight
China Eastern Airlines
Economy
15:20
09:25
€527.43
Flight
China Eastern Airlines
Economy
15:50
09:05
€316.00

How to get from Vientiane to Chiang Mai

Travelling between Vientiane and Chiang Mai is possible by Flight, bus, van and taxi. Flight guarantees the fastest travel on this route. Flight is the slowest option.

The most expensive ticket will cost you EUR 448.40 if you go by flight; to keep it budget-friendly, opt for a bus+van which will set you back mere EUR 30.62.

How long does it take to get from Vientiane to Chiang Mai?

It can take you anywhere between 3 and 23 hours to travel between Vientiane and Chiang Mai depending on the means of transport you choose.

Flight is the fastest way to travel between Vientiane and Chiang Mai. Flight will bring you to your destination in 2h 30m. Flight does a much slower job and take about 22h 20m to reach Chiang Mai.

How much does it cost to get from Vientiane to Chiang Mai?

Travelling between Vientiane and Chiang Mai can be as cheap as EUR 30.62 if you opt for a Soutchai Travel (ບໍລິສັດ ສຸດໃຈທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ຈໍາກັດຜູ້ດຽວ) bus+van and as expensive as EUR 448.40 if you buy a Jeju Air flight 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 Vientiane and Chiang Mai ?

  • 49 by flight from Vientiane to Chiang Mai starting from 01:25 Vientiane Airport until 14:45 Vientiane Airport
  • 2 by Bus+Van from Vientiane to Chiang Mai starting from 15:00 Vientiane Transfer until 15:00 Vientiane Transfer
  • 1 by Bus+taxi from Vientiane to Chiang Mai starting from 14:30 Vientiane Transfer until 14:30 Vientiane Transfer

Check above for a bus, train, flight and ferry timetable from Vientiane to Chiang Mai.

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

Bus

Travelling from Vientiane to Chiang Mai 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 Vientiane and Chiang Mai

Tara Tour and Travel (ธาราทัวร์แอนด์ทราเวล)

What is the most popular transport to get from Vientiane to Chiang Mai?

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

Out of 1000 travellers who bought tickets for this route

  • 85% chosen Bus+Van
  • 10% opted for a bus
  • 4% chosen flight
  • 1% Other

Transportation from Vientiane to Chiang Mai

Facts about the transport from Vientiane to Chiang Mai

Cheapest Transport€31
Fastest Transport2h 30m
Earliest Departure1:25 AM
Latest Departure3:00 PM
Departures per day52
Distance2126 kilometers
Transport CompaniesFamily Service, Jeju Air, Lao Airlines, RG Adventure, Soutchai Travel, Tara Tour and Travel, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia