Can I take the train all the way to China?

Yes. The through service runs to Kunming in about 9.5–10 hours including border formalities. See the Boten crossing.

A Laos–China Railway train in red, white and blue livery crossing paddy fields

Trains in Laos · Verified 4 September 2026

Laos Train Tickets: Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang

Q: How far is Vang Vieng station from town?

3–4 km north. A minivan or the green shared bus costs 40,000 kip, or take a tuk tuk, about 10 minutes. Budget for it; people routinely miss trains assuming the station is central.

Q: How far is Luang Prabang station?

About 11 km from the old town. Allow 25–30 minutes and arrange transport in advance for an early departure.

Q: Is the train worth it over the bus?

For Vientiane–Luang Prabang, almost always: under two hours against about ten by road. For Vientiane–Vang Vieng the gap is smaller once you add both station transfers, so the bus can be simpler if your hotel is central.

Q: How much is Vientiane to Luang Prabang?

234,000 kip second class on the slower K11/K12 services, 330,000 kip on the faster C81–C98 trains, roughly US$11–17.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes 1 h 46 m by train against roughly ten hours by road. The catch is buying a seat, and the stations are nowhere near the towns.

Vientiane–Luang Prabang 1 h 46 m
From 234,000 kip
Tickets 3 days ahead, 06:30
Stations 3–13 km from town

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Is the train worth it?

One railway line runs the length of northern Laos: Vientiane – Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang – Boten. Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes 1 h 46 m and costs from 234,000 kip. Two things catch people out: tickets release only three days ahead at 06:30, and every station is a long way outside its town.

Last verified 4 September 2026

How to actually get a seat

The booking rules that matter

Tickets go on sale three days before departure, at 06:30 Laos time. Not earlier.
Popular services, Vientiane to Luang Prabang on a Friday, anything around Pi Mai, sell out that same morning.
Passport details are required for every passenger, every ticket.
The official app accepts Visa, Alipay and WeChat.
Station counters work but keep restrictive hours, and the queue forms before they open.

This is the single most common way people get stuck. The line is fast and cheap, but it has far less capacity than demand on the tourist corridor, and there is no way to book weeks ahead the way you would a European train.

The stations are not in the towns

Worth saying plainly, because it is the mistake we see most often: none of these stations is walkable from the place it is named after.

Station-to-town distances and how to cover them.
Station	Distance from town	Getting there
Vientiane (Khamsavath) Railway Station	9–13 km from the centre	Tuk tuk or taxi; arrange in advance for early departures.
Vang Vieng Railway Station	3–4 km north of town	Minivan or green shared bus 40,000 kip, or a tuk tuk; about 10 minutes.
Luang Prabang Railway Station	about 11 km from the old town	Tuk tuk or taxi; arrange in advance for early departures.
Boten Railway Station	about 4 km from the road border	Shared taxi 60,000 kip or 20 RMB.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang by train

The headline route. 1 h 46 m to 2 h 21 m depending on service, against roughly ten hours on the road. Second class runs 234,000 kip on the slower K11/K12 services and 330,000 kip on the faster C81–C98 trains.

The old town of Luang Prabang, at the northern end of the line

VientianeLuang Prabang

Duration: 1 h 46 m – 2 h 21 m

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Vang ViengLuang Prabang

Duration: about 1 hr

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Vientiane to Vang Vieng by train

About an hour, against roughly four by road. The catch is the transfers at both ends, Vang Vieng's station is 3–4 km north of town, so door to door the advantage is smaller than the timetable suggests.

Limestone karst peaks rising behind Vang Vieng

VientianeVang Vieng

Duration: about 1 hr

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Bus or train?

The same journeys by rail and by road.
Journey	By train	By road	Worth it?
Vientiane → Luang Prabang	1 h 46 m	approx 10 hrs	Yes, clearly
Vientiane → Vang Vieng	about 1 hr	approx 4 hrs	Yes, but add both transfers
Vang Vieng → Luang Prabang	about 1 hr	approx 6 hrs	Yes

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Common questions

How do I actually buy a ticket?

Tickets release three days before departure at 06:30 Laos time and popular services sell out the same morning. The official app takes Visa, Alipay and WeChat, and you need passport details per passenger.

How far is Vang Vieng station from town?

3–4 km north. Minivan or green shared bus 40,000 kip, or a tuk tuk, about 10 minutes.

How far is Luang Prabang station?

About 11 km from the old town. Allow 25–30 minutes.

Is the train worth it over the bus?

For Vientiane–Luang Prabang, almost always. For Vientiane–Vang Vieng the gap narrows once you add both station transfers.

How much is Vientiane to Luang Prabang?

234,000 kip second class on K11/K12, 330,000 kip on C81–C98.

Can I take the train to China?

Yes, through to Kunming in about 9.5–10 hours. See the Boten crossing.

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

Lao Department of Immigration: checkpoint list, opening hours and visa status
The Man in Seat 61: train classes, timings and booking mechanics
UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Luang Prabang: the protected status of the old town the line serves