Trains from Bangkok to Vientiane

There is now a direct train service from Bangkok all the way to Vientiane in Laos. On arrival in Vientiane passengers can connect with high speed railway services to Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and Kunming in China.

Train Times from Bangkok to Vientiane

There is currently 1 direct train service a day from Bangkok to Vientiane.

• Train #133 is scheduled to complete the journey from Bangkok to Vientiane 11 hours 40 minutes.

Buy Tickets from Bangkok to Vientiane

Use the Search Box below to buy your train tickets from Bangkok to Vientiane.

Sleeper seats are available to book online as well as the cheaper seat only options.

If tickets on the Bangkok to Vientiane service are not available we suggest searching for trains to Nong Khai. From Nong Khai you can also travel by bus or minivan to Vientiane.

Ticket Prices from Bangkok to Vientiane

It costs from 56 to 100 THB extra to book a ticket online compared to buying a ticket at a train station.

Since commencing in 2024 this service has been very popular and advance booking is almost always required. In particular there is a high demand for sleeper berths on this service so booking well in advance is essential if you want to secure your sleeper berths on this train.

Bangkok Train Station

Trains to Vientiane originate from the main train terminus in Bangkok, Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station (also known as Bang Sue Grand Station).

Location of Vientiane Train Station

Khamsavath Train Station is located 8 km by road from the Patuxai Monument in Vientiane.

About Travel to Vientiane

Vientiane is by far the largest and most developed city in Laos, with a population estimated in a 2023 census as 840,000. The city’s closeness to Thailand makes it easy to reach and the city attracts around 4 million foreign visitors a year. Many of these visitors are transiting through the city, which is a major transport hub for travel across Laos and connecting services to China. However, many visitors take the opportunity to visit some of the important historical sites in Vientiane.

Wat Pha That Luang

Wat Pha That Luang is arguably the most important temple in Laos, and one of the oldest in Laos dating back to at least the 16th Century, and possibly to the reign of King Ashoka of India (268 to 232 BCE).

Wat Pha That Luang is surrounded by a 350 metre long wall. Inside the temple compound is a large multi-tiered golden stupa with a square base, 67 metres wide. According to legend, fragments of the pelvic bone of the Lord Buddha are encased within the structure of a much older stupa over which the current structure has been built. This legend is one of the reasons why this temple is so important that it appears on Laos’s national seal and four of its bank notes.

Wat Si Sa Ket

Wat Si Sa Ket is one of Vientiane’s oldest temples, founded in 1820. The reason that there are no older temples (other than Wat Pha That Luang) is that an army from Siam destroyed most of the city in 1827. According to local folklore, the Siamese decided not to destroy Wat Si Sa Ket because of its classic Thai style roof.

Wat Si Sa Ket is described as being a museum on account of the artefacts which have been collected by the temple over the last two centuries, which includes over 6,000 statues of the Lord Buddha which are on display.

Patuxai Monument

Located at the top end of the Avenue Lane Xang, the Patuxai Monument is a large arch completed in 1968 to celebrate Laos’s independence from France. At first glance, the Patuxai Monument looks similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, however, the building has lots of architectural features which are resonant of the style of some of Laos’s oldest buildings.

For a modest fee, visitors can go inside the Patuxai Monument and climb the stairs to the top floor and access the roof. The views are excellent, but to reach the roof you need to ascend lots of stairs to reach the seventh level of the building. There is no elevator at the Patuxai Monument.

That Dam

Located in the centre of Vientiane City, in the centre of a roundabout, That Dam is the ‘Black Stupa’. According to local tradition, a seven head naga lives inside the stupa ready to awaken and protect the city. A naga is a mythical serpent believed to normal reside in the Mekong River when not in a spiritual realm.

The stupa is in a dilapidated state but worth visiting because of its importance in the city’s folklore.

Vientiane Night Market

Vientiane Night Market is a tourist market located in a park close to the Quai Fa Ngum, which is the riverside road in a part of the city where most foreign visitors choose to stay overnight during their time in Vientiane.

The market is open nightly 18:00 to 22:00, and features many stalls selling souvenirs, clothes and local craft work. Around the edges of the market are lots of food stalls selling local dishes at very cheap prices. The market and the surrounding area is a popular evening time destination for foreign visitors to the city.

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