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Limestone karst islands rising from turquoise water in southern Thailand

Laos → Thailand · Verified 4 September 2026

Laos to Thailand by Bus: All 5 Friendship Bridges & Vang Tao

There are five Mekong Friendship Bridges, not four, the fifth opened in December 2025, plus one true land crossing at Vang Tao.

  • 6 crossings
  • Mostly 06:00–22:00
  • Lao VOA approx US$40
  • Rules changed 15 Sep 2026
Thailand's visa exemption changes on 15 September 2026 The 60-day visa exemption ends. It is replaced by 30 days for 60 nationalities, and land-border entries under the exemption are capped at twice per calendar year. If you do visa runs to Nong Khai, this changes your year. Read more. Checked 4 September 2026

Which Friendship Bridge do I use?

Laos and Thailand share five Mekong Friendship Bridges plus the Vang Tao–Chong Mek land crossing near Pakse. Bridges 1–4 ban walking and require a paid shuttle. The fifth, Pakxan to Bueng Kan, opened on 27 December 2025 and now has its own cross-border bus. Lao visa on arrival is about US$40 in cash.

Last verified 4 September 2026

Every crossing, at a glance

Laos–Thailand international checkpoints, from the Lao Department of Immigration register.
CrossingConnectsHoursLao visa on arrival
1st Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Also written Mittaphab Bridge, Nong Khai Bridge		 Vientiane Capital → Nong Khai, Thailand 06:00–22:00 Yes
2nd Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Also written Savannakhet–Mukdahan Bridge		 Savannakhet → Mukdahan, Thailand 06:00–22:00 Yes
3rd Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Also written Thakhek–Nakhon Phanom Bridge		 Thakhek, Khammouane → Nakhon Phanom, Thailand 06:00–22:00 Yes
4th Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Also written Huay Xai–Chiang Khong Bridge		 Huay Xai, Bokeo → Chiang Khong, Thailand 06:00–22:00 Yes
5th Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Also written Paksan–Bueng Kan Bridge, Pakxan–Bueng Kan Bridge		 Ban Kluai Udom, Pakxan district, Bolikhamxay → Ban Don Yom, Khai Si subdistrict, Mueang Bueng Kan, Thailand 06:00–22:00 Yes
Vang Tao – Chong Mek
Also written Chong Mek		 Champasak → Chong Mek, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand 06:00–20:00 Yes
Friendship Bridge over the Mekong at dusk, seen from the Lao bank
A Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge at dusk, with a gilded Lao boundary marker in the foreground.

The 15 September 2026 visa change

If you do visa runs, this changes your year

  • The 60-day visa exemption ended on 15 September 2026.
  • It is replaced by 30 days for 60 nationalities, down from 93.
  • Seychelles and Mauritius get 15 days. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia move to visa on arrival.
  • Land-border entries under the exemption are capped at twice per calendar year. Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are exempt from the cap.
  • Anyone who entered on or before 14 September 2026 with a 60-day stamp keeps the full period.

The land-border cap is the part that matters here. Vientiane to Nong Khai is one of the most-used visa-run crossings in the region, and under the new rules a bounce over the bridge only works twice a year. If your plan depended on repeat land entries, it now needs a proper visa instead.

The fifth bridge: Pakxan to Bueng Kan

Opened to the public on 27 December 2025, linking Lao Route 13 directly to Thai Highway 244. It is 1,350 m long and 17.4 m wide, with two traffic lanes, a central median and pedestrian walkways on both sides. The crossing runs 06:00–22:00 and there is no bridge toll during the initial phase while both countries finalise the arrangements.

The cross-border bus, since 8 January 2026

  • 100 baht flat fare, operated jointly by Thailand's Transport Co. Ltd (BorKorSor) and SPS Company of Lao PDR.
  • Departures at 08:00, 10:30, 13:00 and 15:30, the same times in both directions.
  • About three hours including border formalities.
  • Air-conditioned second-class coaches, 42 seats. Bueng Kan Provincial Bus Terminal: 042-490-690.
  • Not sold online yet. Buy at the terminal.

What we cannot confirm

Pedestrian access. The walkways exist; permission to walk across is not confirmed in any source we could find. Do not assume the shuttle-only rule from bridges 1–4 applies here, and do not assume it does not.

Routes into Thailand

VientianeBangkok

Direct service
Border crossing
1st Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Duration
20–24 hrs
Sold as
train, bus, van, flight, taxi
Check Vientiane to Bangkok prices

PaksanBueng Kan

Not bookable online
Border crossing
5th Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Duration
approx 3 hrs
Sold as
bus

Served by the cross-border bus that launched on 8 January 2026, 100 baht flat, four departures a day each way. Not sold online yet; buy at Bueng Kan Provincial Bus Terminal or in Pakxan.

Common questions

Can I walk across a Friendship Bridge?
Not on bridges 1 to 4. Walking and cycling are banned and you take the paid shuttle between the immigration posts. Bridge 5 is different: it has pedestrian walkways on both sides, but whether foot crossing is permitted is unconfirmed.
What is the "overtime fee" at the bridge?
The bridge runs 06:00–22:00 but immigration often stops issuing new visas by mid-afternoon. Cross after the cutoff and you may be charged a small unofficial fee.
How much is the Lao visa on arrival at the Thai border?
About US$40, or roughly 1,500 THB in baht. Add US$1 at weekends. Bring cash and a passport photo.
How do I get from Vientiane to Bangkok?
Via the 1st Friendship Bridge to Nong Khai, then bus or train. Crossing and continuing separately usually beats a direct VIP coach on price.
Which crossing serves Pakse and southern Laos?
Vang Tao–Chong Mek, into Ubon Ratchathani. The only major crossing that is a straight land border with no bridge.
Do I need a visa to enter Thailand from Laos?
From 15 September 2026, 60 nationalities get 30 days visa-exempt, and land-border entries are capped at twice per calendar year.

Laos Bus Tickets

Written and maintained from Vientiane. The people behind this site have lived in Laos for two decades and cross these borders themselves. Routes and visa rules get rechecked whenever something changes, not on a fixed schedule that lets stale information sit for months.

Sources for this page

  1. Lao Department of Immigration: checkpoint list, opening hours and visa status
  2. Tourism Authority of Thailand: the 15 September 2026 visa exemption change
  3. Lao News Agency (KPL): the fifth Friendship Bridge opening
  4. Thailand Immigration Bureau: Thai entry requirements
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