The fastest and most comfortable way to travel by public transport from Luang Prabang to Nong Khai is to travel by train. The first stage of the journey from Luang Prabang to Vientiane is by high speed train. The second stage of the journey is on a slower Thai train, however, the journey from Vientiane to Nong Khai is very short.
Train 1: Luang Prabang to Vientiane
There are 6 train services a day from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.
- Buy tickets from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.
| Train | Luang Prabang | Vientiane | Service |
| C97 | 10:31 | 12:38 | Fast |
| C91 | 12:12 | 14:56 | Fast |
| D87 | 14:58 | 16:44 | International |
| K11 | 17:11 | 20:04 | Ordinary |
| C83 | 18:40 | 20:44 | Fast |
| C81 | 19:22 | 21:08 | Fast |
Stage 2: Vientiane to Nong Khai
There are 2 train services a day from Vientiane to Nong Khai.
- Buy tickets from Vientiane to Nong Khai.
| Train | Vientiane | Nong Khai | Service |
| 148 | 09:35 | 10:05 | Rapid |
| 134 | 18:25 | 18:55 | Rapid |
Location of Luang Prabang Train Station
Luang Prabang Train Station is located 12 km by road to the east of Luang Prabang city centre.
Location of Vientiane Laos – China Railway Station
Laos-China Railway Station is located 16 km by road to the north of Khamsavath Railway Station.
Location of Khamsavath Vientiane Train Station
Khamsavath Railway Station is located 8 km by road to the east of Vientiane city centre.
Nong Khai Train Station
Read more about Nong Khai Train Station.
About Train Travel to Nong Khai
At the moment there are no direct train services from Luang Prabang (Laos) to Nong Khai (Thailand). There are, however, connecting train services and, despite the inconvenience of needing to change train stations in Vientiane, the journey by train is a lot faster than travelling by bus or minivan.
Journey Times
The first stage of the journey to Vientiane takes significantly less time if you travel by train.
- Journey times from Luang Prabang to Vientiane:
- Train: 1 hour 46 minutes to 2 hours 53 minutes
- Bus/Minivan: 8 to 11 hours
The next stage of the journey, to Nong Khai, is also faster by train than it is by bus. Not only is the travelling time less, but also it is typically faster to pass through passport control if you take the rail route rather than dealing with the long queues you often encounter at immigration control if you travel via the road route to Nong Khai.
- Journey times from Vientiane to Nong Khai:
- Train: 30 minutes
- Public Bus: 60 minutes
The total time spent travelling in a train from Luang Prabang to Nong Khai is from 2 hours 16 minutes to 3 hours 23 minutes depending upon which trains you take.
Passport Control
Passengers travelling by train from Luang Prabang to Nong Khai need to pass through two sets of immigration checks, one before they board the second train, from Vientiane to Nong Khai, and one after they alight from that train in Nong Khai.
- Khamsavath Railway Station (Laos): Passengers need to pass through immigration control inside the train station to complete immigration procedures for leaving Laos before they board the train.
- Nong Khai Railway Station (Thailand): All passengers are required to leave the train in Nong Khai to complete immigration procedures for entering Thailand. There is an immigration centre inside Nong Khai Railway Station.
No passport checks are made during the first stage of the journey from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.
Train crossing the bridge from Laos to Nong KhaiTravel Between Train Stations in Vientiane
Trains from Luang Prabang to Vientiane terminate at Laos-China Railway Station, which is located 16 km by road to the north of Khamsavath Railway Station. Trains from Vientiane to Nong Khai depart from Khamsavath Train Station.
Passengers travelling by train from Luang Prabang to Nong Khai need to arrange their own transport between the two train stations. There are two options for completing this journey by public transport:
- Public Bus: There is a single bus route from Laos-China Railway Station to Khamsavath Train Station, Route 12 (Outbound). Route 12 (Outbound) services from Laos-China Railway Station to Khamsavath Train Station depart every day at 09:00, 12:50, 15:20, and 16:50. The journey is scheduled to take 30 minutes.
- Tuk-Tuk: There is no fixed fare from Laos-China Railway Station to Khamsavath Train Station, however, the typical fare charged by tuk-tuk drivers for this journey is 250,000 LAK. The local style of tuk-tuk can generally accommodate up to 5 passengers.