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BangkokFeaturedLaosThailandThailand Travel RoutesTravel Routes

Bangkok to Vientiane on Train: Thailand to Laos (via Nongkhai) 🚂

by BackPackBOB 10 January 2023
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Sitting on the train from Bangkok to Vientiane, Thailand to Laos I’ve got a lot of time to spare. Luckily I have my DrimSim working as a hotspot and my laptop is fully charged.

Contents Hide
1. Intro
2. What Time Does The Train Leave: Bangkok to Vientiane
3. Where To Book Train Tickets Bangkok to Nong Khai
3.1. Booking Bangkok to Vientiane Tickets With an Agent
3.2. Booking Bangkok to Vientiane Tickets With SRT
4. How Much Does The Train Cost: Bangkok to Vientiane (Nong Khai)
5. Bangkok to Vientiane by Train: Travel Time
6. Tips For Taking The Train From Bangkok to Vientiane

It’s a long ride, but, sometimes, I prefer the long overland journeys. And I can’t think of a better way to fill the time than typing up this post. Answering all the questions I struggled to find answers to before traveling from Bangkok to Vientiane on the train. And, if you are reading this, then I imagine you are considering making the same train journey to Vientiane from Bangkok.

Intro

Traveling from Bangkok to Vientiane via the Nongkhai border is often the cheapest and most convenient option to enter Laos from Thailand. But if you’ve got a bit more time on your hands or a feeling more adventurous, another choice is taking the slow boat across the Mekong river, from Thailand to Laos.

You’ll need to board a train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, and you can change the train at Nong Khai station to get to Vientiane.

You can take the train overnight or during the daytime.

We chose to make the journey from Bangkok to Nong Khai during the daytime, because the views are better, the tickets are cheaper and we had no limitation on time.

Leaving Bangkok at 8:00am, we arrived in the northern province of Nong Khai at 6.00pm in the evening.

bangkok to Vientiane view from train across the border
The view from the train window while crossing over the friendship bridge from Bangkok into Vientiane.
train at Nong Khai station on the way to Bangkok
Train in Nong Khai station, Thailand. Connect here to travel to Vientiane, Laos.

If you want to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane by train, well, the trip is really straightforward if I’m being honest. You’ll need to travel to Nong Khai province in Thailand first. The Bangkok to Nong Khai leg takes around 10 Hours. Once you are in Nong Khai it is really easy to cross the border into Vientiane, Laos. From Nong Khai to Vientiane the train takes just 15 minutes and leaves Nong Khai Station twice a day at 07.30am and 2:45pm. The departure times are somewhat inconvenient so you can cross the border on the shuttle bus instead if you miss the connection. The shuttle bus runs every few minutes.

More: I traveled to Laos after the coronavirus shutdowns, and I can confirm that the Nong Khai Thai/Lao Border crossing is fully open again.

Before traveling from Bangkok to Vientiane I had a lot of questions about making the journey. I’ll share the answers I found, to all the questions I had, in this post. 💙

Bangkok to Vientiane train immigration crossing
There is an Immigration Checkpoint at Nong Khai train station. You can pass Immigration when changing trains.
train schedule from Nong Khai to Vientiane
This poster shows the current train schedule for the train from Nong Khai station to Thanleng Station (Thanleng is the name of the train station in Vientiane). Tickets cost 20 Baht.

What Time Does The Train Leave: Bangkok to Vientiane

The train does not go directly to Vientiane, instead the train runs from Bangkok (Hua Lampung Station) to Nong Khai station. From Nong Khai you’ll need to complete the journey into Laos by changing trains at the same station, or taking the shuttle bus across the bridge.

Here are the current Bangkok to Nong Khai train times. But double-checking the times on the official State Railway Thailand site is recommended.

Bangkok to Nongkhai Timetable:

Train NumberDepart (Bangkok)Arrive (Nong Khai)Book
Express 7508:20AM05:30 PMBook
*Special Express 2508:00 PM06:45 AMBook
Rapid 133 08:45 PM07:55 AMBook
Train Time-Table For Trains leaving Bangkok Hua Lampung for Nong Khai

Nongkhai to Vientiane (Thanleng) Timetable:

Train NumberDepart (Nong Khai)Arrive (Vientiane)
*48107:30AM07:45 AM
48302:45 PM3:45 AM
Train Time-Table For Trains leaving Nong Khai going to Vientiane. Tickets for this train cost 20 Baht a person. Tickets can only be brought at the station with cash. The train is never full.
train departure board at bangkok station with information about train to nong khai
Nong Khai Train Departure Board at Bangkok Station.
train times from bangkok to nong khai
There are 3 trains leaving Bangkok for Nong Khai each day. Two services run overnight and one service runs during the day.

Where To Book Train Tickets Bangkok to Nong Khai

We were able to buy train tickets from Bangkok to Vientiane the day before, so don’t worry about making reservations too far ahead. The train was busy, but far from being at full capacity.

There are a few choices you have when it comes to booking train tickets to Vientiane. You can either buy tickets directly from SRT (State Railway Thailand) either online or in person. Or you can use a travel agent to book tickets, which is what I recommend doing.

Booking Bangkok to Vientiane Tickets With an Agent

Thailand’s official Train ticket booking site is really difficult to use. It has improved slightly since I first used the site, but it’s still a headache to navigate and a nightmare to use on your phone.

The two cheapest websites I know of to book Bangkok to Vientiane train tickets are:

1) 12Go Asia – https://12go.asia/en/travel/bangkok/nong-khai

2) Baolau (Cheapest) – https://booking.baolau.com/en/results-origin=Bangkok&destination=Nong+Khai

Train tickets do not need to be printed out to travel as was the situation previously. Now conductors can now scan the QR code on the ticket sent to your phone instead.

Booking Bangkok to Vientiane Tickets With SRT

SRT or State Railway Thailand is the company operating the trains and tickets can be purchased directly from SRT. You can buy tickets on the SRT website (if you have the patience to figure it all out), or you can buy tickets in person at Hua Lampung Train Station. The tickets cost the same wherever you choose to book. Although if you decide to book in person there is always a small risk that tickets will be sold out, especially for the sleeper trains.

3) SRT Official Booking Site: https://www.dticket.railway.co.th/DTicketPublicWeb/home/Home

*The SRT site still suggests that tickets need to be printed out. We did not print ours and it was fine.

buy train tickets from bangkok to Vientiane at the train station kiosk
Tickets can be brought in person at the train station. But leaving it until the last minute can be risky if you plan to catch the sleeper train. The sitting train is rarely sold out. Tickets from Bangkok cost the same if you book online or in person.
bangkok to Vientiane train tickets state railway thailand
Train tickets brought in the station (left) and e-tickets booked online (right). You don’t need to print the ticket anymore.
eticket for train from bangkok to nong khai

How Much Does The Train Cost: Bangkok to Vientiane (Nong Khai)

How much do the train tickets cost?

Prices from the train from Bangkok to Vientiane can range between 200 Baht and 1,500 Baht. Depending on the level of comfort you expect.

If you are travelling on a budget, take the train in the daytime. A sitting ticket is much cheaper than a sleeper ticket. Costing between 200 – 500 Baht. The downside is loosing an entire day traveling, the upside is the views you’ll see from the train window.

Traveling overnight is also an option, the ticket cost is more expensive, but you’ll have a bed to lie down on and you’ll also be saving money as you won’t need to book accommodation for that night.

Ticket TypeTimePrice (THB)
Standard SittingDaytime200 THB
A/C SittingDaytime500 THB
Sleeper TrainNighttime900 – 1,500 THB

TIP: Choose the A/C seating over the standard seating if you travel in the daytime. Despite what the naming suggests, both carriages are kept cool. The main difference is the seating. Standard seating is packed in as tight as possible and you’ll be sitting face-to-face with other passengers. In the A/C seating carriage the seats are all forward facing, much more spacious and far more comfortable for the long journey.

standard seating on bangkok to Vientiane train
The standard (Fan) sitting seats look like this. The seats are packed in as tight as possible and you’ll spend the journey sitting face-to-face with another passenger. This seating is okay for a shorter trip but I don’t recommend it for the ten hour trip from Bangkok to Vientiane. The train windows open and the carriage is surprisingly cool.
aircon seating bangkok to Vientiane train
The A/C seating looks like this. Seats in the Air-Conditioned train carriages are all forward facing and provide more space than the standard seating. It’s worth paying the extra ticket fare to upgrade to this carriage type.

Bangkok to Vientiane by Train: Travel Time

How long does the train take to get from Bangkok to Vientiane?

The train journey from Bangkok to Vientiane covers around 650 Kilometres in total. 630 Kilometres to Nong Khai, and its then another 20 Kilometres or so across the border and into Vientiane, Laos.

The train from Bangkok to Nong Khai takes around 10 hours on average. It can then take another hour or two to pass through immigration into Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I decided to travel in the daytime and break the journey up by spending the night in Nong Khai before crossing the border to Laos in the morning on the following day.

Tips For Taking The Train From Bangkok to Vientiane

  • Book train tickets online in advance to guarantee your seat, especially if you plan to take the sleeper train.
  • When you arrive at the station you can get on the train without ‘checking in’. Your tickets will be verified with a QR scan after leaving the station.
  • You need to change the train at Nong Khai station in northern Thailand. The only train leaving Bangkok which connects with the Nong Khai to Vientiane train is the Special Express 25 leaving Bangkok at 20.00PM. If you take any other train you’ll need to stay the night in Nong Khai or cross the border on the bus instead.
  • Make sure to bring cash (in 3 currencies) THB, LAK and USD. There are countless small charges along the way, such as 20k Kip to depart Laos.
  • Prepare everything you need to apply for the Laos tourist visa in advance, including reading this post and carrying USD in cash with you. You can change cash at the land(road) border, but not at the train station border.
  • The sleeper trains on the Bangkok to Nong Khai route have a power outlet to charge devices such as a laptop, power bank or phone. The sitting trains do not. Make sure to charge your power bank in advance.
  • Food and drink are sold on the trains. The sleeper trains have a restaurant car in the middle. The daytime trains have sellers who will board at some stations and offer cooked foods.
  • Buy a local SIM card at the Laos border. SIM cards pre-loaded with 10GB of data are sold for 80 THB. Or if you really want to be prepared download an E-SIM with international data before you travel.

BOOK TRAIN TICKETS FROM BANGKOK TO VIENTIANE, VIA NONG KHAI HERE

More: I recommend taking the Train from Bangkok to Vientiane, but if you’re on a tight budget the the bus can be more affordable. Check out Gecko Routes for more info on taking the bus from Bangkok to Vientiane.

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1 comment

Mark 10 January 2023 - 8:19 pm

Thanks. I’m going to Laos later this month and have read conflicting things about entry.

Reply

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BackPackBOB

Hi I’m Robb. But you can call me Backpack Bob. Welcome to my site. I started this travel blog in March 2020. Literally the worst time to be travelling. Haha. But the pandemic didn’t stop me. I managed to visit 5 countries during lockdowns, (sorry, not sorry), and I kept on writing. I’ve done a lot in my 27 years on this earth. My life has been a crazy ride. People often tell me I should write a book about it. I’m banned from two countries. I’ve worked in four continents. I started my own business in Thailand at 21. And I left on my first international solo adventure at 19, with less than $100. I’ll share the reality about travel and living overseas, without the drama. The highs, the lows and why and travel is so import, incredible and unique in a world after the coronavirus. I hope that I can inspire others to travel with an open mind and live your life to its full potential. Peace and Love. ✌️

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Hi I’m Robb. But you can call me Backpack Bob. Welcome to my site. I started this travel blog in March 2020. Literally the worst time to be travelling. Haha. But the pandemic didn’t stop me. I managed to visit 5 countries during lockdowns, (sorry, not sorry), and I kept on writing.

I’ve done a lot in my 27 years on this earth. My life has been a crazy ride. People often tell me I should write a book about it. I've met some incredible people. I’m banned from two countries. I’ve worked in four continents. I started my own business in Thailand at 21. And I left on my first international solo adventure at 19, with less than $100.

I’ll share the reality about travel and living overseas, without the drama. The highs, the lows and why and travel is so import, incredible and unique in a world after the coronavirus. I hope that I can inspire others to travel with an open mind and live your life to its full potential. Peace and Love. ✌️

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