The journey by train from Khon Kaen to Luang Prabang has two stages. The first stage is to take a train from Khon Kaen to Vientiane. The next stage of the journey is to take a second train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.
Train 1: Khon Kaen to Vientiane
There is currently 1 train per day from Khon Kaen to Vientiane.
- Buy tickets from Khon Kaen to Vientiane.
| Train | Khon Kaen | Vientiane | Service |
| 133 | 05:13 | 09:05 | Rapid |
Train 2: Vientiane to Luang Prabang
There are currently 6 trains a day from Khon Kaen to Luang Prabang operated by the Laos-China Railway Company.
- Buy tickets from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.
| Train | Vientiane | Luang Prabang | Service |
| C98 | 07:30 | 09:16 | Fast |
| D88 | 08:08 | 09:53 | International |
| K12 | 08:42 | 11:24 | Ordinary |
| C92 | 09:45 | 11:49 | Fast |
| C82 | 13:30 | 15:30 | Fast |
| C84 | 15:55 | 18:06 | Fast |
Location of Khon Kaen Train Station
Location of Khamsavath Train Station (Vientiane)
Trains from Khon Kaen to Vientiane terminate at Khamsavath Train Station.
Location of Laos – China Railway Station (Vientiane)
Trains from Vientiane to Luang Prabang depart from Laos-China Railway Station.
Location of Luang Prabang Train Station
Luang Prabang Train Station is located 12 km by road to the east of Luang Prabang City.
About Train Travel from Khon Kaen to Luang Prabang
The total journey time by train from Khon Kaen to Luang Prabang is from 7 to 10 hours depending upon which connecting train you take from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, although the actual time spent on trains is only 6 hours.
Thai Passport Control
Travellers are required to leave the first train, from Khon Kaen to Vientiane, at Nong Khai Railway Station to complete immigration procedures for exiting Thailand. There is an immigration centre inside Nong Khai Railway Station, and the train is scheduled to stop for 40 minutes to allow all passengers the time to pass through Thai immigration control.
Lao Passport Control
On arrival at Khamsavath Train Station in Vientiane passengers need to complete immigration procedures for entering into Laos. Passengers can apply for a Visa on Arrival for Laos in the same way they can at most other land borders in Laos.
Laos style temple in Luang PrabangJourney from Khon Kaen to Vientiane
Train #133 is scheduled to complete the journey from Khon Kaen to Vientiane in 3 hours 52 minutes. The following seat types are available on Train #133:
- 2nd Class A/C Sleeper
- 2nd Class A/C Seat
- 3rd Class Fan Seat
Journey from Vientiane to Luang Prabang
By train the journey from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is scheduled to take from 46 minutes to 2 hours 42 minutes depending upon which train service you take.
The following seat types are available on Laos-China Railway services:
- Business Class
- 1st Class A/C Seat
- 2nd Class A/C Seat
- Hard Seat (Ordinary trains only)
Travel Between Stations in Vientiane
The second train you need to take, from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, departs from Laos-China Railway Station, which is located 16.3 km by road from Khamsavath Train Station.
The cheapest way to travel by public transport between the two train stations is to take the Route 12 (Outbound) public service from the bus stop in front of Khamsavath Train Station. Bus services from Khamsavath Train Station to Laos – China Railway Station depart at 08:25, 11:45 and 14:15 and take 30 minutes to complete the journey.
The alternative to taking a public bus service is to take a tuk-tuk from Khamsavath Train Station to Laos-China Railway Station. Fares are not fixed or controlled by the authorities. Expect to pay around 250,000 LAK for the whole tuk-tuk, or less if you share with other people.
Stop Over in Vientiane
A popular option for visitors planning to travel by train from Thailand to Luang Prabang is to spend 1 night in Vientiane before continuing the second stage of the journey from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. Vientiane is a pleasant and interesting city to visit, and by staying overnight it’s possible to avoid long, and not very comfortable, waits for connecting trains.
By road Khamsavath Train Station is located 8 km to the east of the Patuxai Monument, which is in the centre of Vientiane City. By local tuk-tuk expect to pay 250,000 LAK for the journey, or 50,000 LAK per person if 5 people share the tuk-tuk.
There is also a public bus service from Khamsavath Train Station to Vientiane Central Bus Station, which is in the city centre. The service is Route 12 (Inbound), which departs at 10:10. 10:40, 11:00, 13:30, 16:00, 17:30, 18:30 & 18:40. The journey is scheduled to take from 30 to 35 minutes.