There are many border crossings between Thailand and Laos, with the most popular one being from Nong Khai to Vientiane via the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. I've done this border crossing many times throughout the years, and I'm here to guide you through the whole process.
In this travel guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about getting from Bangkok or Udon Thani or Nong Khai to Vientiane with ease, based on my firsthand experience crossing this border many times. Without further ado, here are the different ways you can travel between Bangkok/Udon Thani/Nong Khai, Thailand, and Vientiane, Laos.
The Best Ways to Get from Thailand to Vientiane, Laos
By Flight
I traveled this route many times throughout the years, and back then, there weren't any affordable flights connecting Bangkok to Vientiane. That said, I'm happy to report that that has since changed in recent years with the opening of the Bangkok-Vientiane Route by AirAsia. The flights leave from Bangkok's Don Muang Airport (DMK) twice a day, one in the morning and one around noon.
The flight should cost about 100 - 150 USD, and you will arrive at Vientiane Airport (VTE) in about 1 hour. You can book the ticket via AirAsia website or 12Go. Once you arrive at Vientiane Airport, you can catch the airport shuttle bus, which will cost you 40,000 LAK and runs between the airport and the Central Bus Station, stopping along the way. You can see the airport shuttle bus route here.
This is hands down the fastest and most convenient way to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane, so if you are traveling from Bangkok and want to get it over with as fast as possible, this is how to do it.
By International Bus
If you are looking for an adventure, you can also take an overnight bus from Bangkok's Morchit Bus Terminal at 8 PM, and it will take you straight to Vientiane in about 15 hours, arriving at approximately 11 AM. The bus should cost about 900 THB (30 USD) and you can book it here.
The bus will first drop you off at the Thai immigration, where you have to proceed on foot to get to the bridge. Once you are at the bridge, there will be a local bus to take you to the Lao side where you will then have to do the same to get through immigration.
When crossing into Laos, you might be asked by immigration officials for a small unofficial fee. Sometimes I’ve been let in for free, while other times they’ve requested 100 or 200 THB, but never more. The same happens when you exit Laos and cross back into Thailand, so it’s a good idea to have a few hundred Thai Baht on hand just in case.
Once you go through Lao immigration, you will have to pay another fee of 20 THB if you are planning to stay overnight. Once that is done, you can get on the same bus and it will take you to Vientiane in about 30 minutes, dropping you off at central bus terminal, near Talat Sao Morning Market, from where you can walk to your accommodation. Easy-peasy!
By Flight + International Bus
If you are not so keen on sleeping on overnight buses but still want to save some money, you can also fly from Bangkok (DMK) to Udon Thani (UTH) via AirAsia or Thai Lion Air. They fly between Don Muang Airport and Udon Thani Airport several times a day starting at 6:20 AM until 7:05 PM every day. The journey will take about 1 hour and cost around 31 - 64 USD depending on the time. You can book the flight here.
Once you arrive at Udon Thani Airport, you can find a bus kiosk that will take you from the airport to Nong Khai-Lao's border crossing for about 200 THB. Once you are at the border, you can cross into Laos via the Friendship Bridge on a 35 THB shuttle bus service.
Once you are on the Laotian side, you can go through immigration on foot, fill in the entry form, pay the 20 THB fee, and get on bus #14 to Vientiane. The bus should cost around 12,000 LAK (0.6 USD), and it will take about 30 minutes to arrive at the central bus terminal, near Talat Sao Morning Market, from where you can walk to your accommodation.
By Train
You can also take a train from Bangkok to Nong Khai and switch to the international train to Vientiane to cross the border. It may be cheaper than taking a flight, but keep in mind that it will take significantly longer, and the train station is quite far away at Thanaleng Station, about 15 km from Vientiane, so you will have to get another taxi to the city.
The train between Nong Khai and Thanaleng runs about twice a day, all in the morning at 7:30 AM and 10 AM. It should cost about 20 THB and takes 15 minutes for this leg, while the journey from Bangkok to Nong Khai takes at least 12 hours by train. In the end, you probably won’t save much money going this route. If you insist on taking the train, you can book the Bangkok–Nong Khai train here and you can get the Nong Khai-Thanaleng train ticket at the station when you arrive.
Traveling from Vientiane to Thailand
If you’re traveling in the opposite direction, the process is almost the same, but in the opposite direction. In the morning, you can walk to Central Bus Station to catch the bus to the Lao-Thailand Border Crossing. The bus should cost around 12,000 LAK (0.6 USD), and it will take about 30 minutes before you arrive at the border.
Proceed through the Lao border on foot and pay the small exit fee (usually between 0–200 THB). Then, take the 35 THB shuttle bus across the bridge into Thailand. Once you arrive, head over to this bus company office across from the 7-Eleven, where you can purchase a ticket (~200 THB) and catch the next bus either to Udon Thani Airport or Udon Thani Bus Station for your onward journey to Bangkok.
My Experiences Getting From Bangkok to Vientiane, Laos
Bangkok to Vientiane
I decided to use a combination of flight and an international bus to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane. I took a Bangkok-Udon Thani flight at 8 AM and arrived at Udon Thani Airport by 9:10 AM. Once I exited the aircraft, I headed straight to a bus kiosk in the exit terminal to purchase a shuttle service to take me to the Nong Khai-Vientiane border crossing. It cost about 200 THB and left about 15 minutes later when it's full.
The bus took us to Udon Thani's Bus Station to pick up some more people before we were on our way to the Nong Khai-Vientiane border crossing. It took us about 1 hour before the bus dropped us off at the Thai immigration at around 10:30 AM. We got through the immigration without fanfare, bought a shuttle ticket across the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge for 35 THB, and we crossed into Laos at around 11 AM.
Once we got to the Lao side, we proceeded on foot into the immigration building and passed through the immigration. I didn't have to pay the random fee this time, although I saw some people having to pay around 100 - 200 THB. After I passed through immigration, I had to pay the overnight fee of 20 THB as I planned to stay overnight in Vientiane.
Once that is done, I caught a local bus waiting at the bus stop as I exited the immigration building and off we went to Vientiane. The bus ticket costs around 12,000 LAK (0.6 USD) and it took us about 30 minutes before we arrived at the Central Bus Station near Talat Sao Market. After that, I proceeded to my accommodation on foot, completing this border crossing.
It took about 6 hours to get from Bangkok to Vientiane in total, including flight time. It cost me about 76 USD including the flight + luggage, buses, border crossing fees, etc.
Vientiane to Bangkok
Coming back was also very straightforward. I just walked to Central Bus Station to catch the bus to the border, costing me 14,000 LAK. I arrived at the border in 30 minutes. I then proceeded through the Lao border on foot and paid the small exit fee (100 THB for me). Then, I took the 35 THB shuttle bus across the bridge into Thailand.
Once I arrived on the Thai side, I went to the bus company office across from the 7-Eleven, where I purchased a shuttle ticket (~200 THB) to Udon Thani Airport for my onward flight to Bangkok, and that was it. Simple and straightforward.
Further Reading for Laos
Looking for more information for your trip to Laos? Here is a selection of articles that might help you with your trip planning:
- Have more days to spend in Laos and want to thoroughly explore the country from north to south? Check out: 2 Weeks Backpacking Laos Itinerary.
- For a complete Laos backpacking itinerary, check out: 7 Days Backpacking Laos Itinerary By Train.
- Looking for a complete travel guide to Southeast Asia? You should check out our 3-Month Backpacking Itinerary for Southeast Asia.
- Looking to spend some time in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos? Be sure to check out: 10 Best Things to Do in Vientiane.
- Vang Vieng, the adventure hub of Laos, has much to offer to those seeking adrenaline-rush activities. Here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Vang Vieng.
- Luang Prabang is my favorite city in Laos and is a place not to be missed. Here are the 12 Best Things to Do in Luang Prabang.
- Want to visit Southern Laos? Pakse is a great base for exploring the natural and historical wonders of Champasak Province. For a complete guide to Pakse, check out: Exploring Pakse: 10 Best Things to Do and More.
- Want to go off the beaten path in Laos? How about visiting Savannakhet, a city in Southern Laos full of beautiful french colonial buildings and more. Here's a complete travel guide: Explore Savannakhet: 10 Best Things to Do & More.
- Looking to cross the border from Thailand to Pakse in Southern Laos? Check out: How to Get From Bangkok/Ubon Ratchathani to Pakse, Laos, and Vice Versa.
- Want to cross the border from Mukdahan to Savannakhet in Laos and vice versa? Check out: How to Get From Bangkok/Mukdahan to Savannakhet, Laos & Vice Versa.
- Packing for a trip to visit a place as big as Southeast Asia is extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Southeast Asia - The Essential Packing List.
- Not convinced by my words about Southeast Asia? Here are 64 photos that will inspire you to visit Southeast Asia now.
- You can also watch my travel video about Southeast Asia here: Watch the "Asia Alive" travel video.
- You can see all my Laos-related articles on my Laos Travel Guide page.
- For more Southeast Asia-related articles, check out my Southeast Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
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