Transportation in Laos is a bit trickier to navigate than in neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. The 12GOAsia website has most of the travel routes and companies, so you can book transportation online. However, for transport to some off-the-beaten-track destinations, you will have to book at hostels, tour agencies or bus terminals. Unfortunately, there is also no Grab, Uber, Gojek or other rideshare companies in Laos (yet). Ways of getting around Laos include flying, high-speed trains, buses, night buses, vans, Songthaews, Tuk Tuks and Taxis. This guide will cover how to plan your route, which transport options are best and general tips for getting around Laos.
Planning your route
Due to the length of Laos as a country, planning a route in Laos is quite simple. You will either be heading south to north or north to south. There is a very well-trodden backpacker route that you can follow in Laos. However, you can also make a few detours to off-the-beaten-track destinations if you wish. The standard route in Laos would be crossing the border from Chiang Rai to Huay Xai. Then getting the slow boat to Luang Prabang. From Luang Prabang, head south to Vang Vieng, then further south to the last stop of Vientiane. You can also do this itinerary in reverse. Vientiane is the capital city with plenty of international flight options. Vientiane also has night buses heading to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Hanoi.
Most backpackers will hit the three main destinations of Laos: Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane. But many other destinations are gaining popularity with backpackers that you can add to your itinerary. Places like Huay Xai (where you can do the Gibbon Experience), Nong Khiaw, Phonsavan (to visit the Plain of Jars) and Pakse (to visit 4000 islands). If you wanted to visit all of the main highlights of Laos and the hidden gem destinations, you would need to do a little backtracking. There are often no connections between these lesser-travelled destinations. Your travel route would look a little bit like this:
Chiang Rai (Thailand)- Huay Xai – Slow Boat – Luang Prabang – Nong Khiaw – Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng – Vientiane – Phonsavan – Vientiane- Pakse – Siem Reap (Cambodia)
As you can see by the above route, it would involve backtracking to both Luang Prabang and Vientiane. I’ve been to Laos twice now, and both times, I skipped Phonsavan and Pakse. This was due to the inconvenience of getting to these places and having to backtrack. To orientate you and help with route planning, I’ve created a custom map of all the popular backpacker destinations in Laos. The red pins are the typical backpacker route destinations, whereas the purple pins are the off-the-beaten-track destinations you may want to add.
Where to book transport
Like many countries in South East Asia, the website 12GOAsia is one of the most popular and reliable booking sites for transportation. They have buses, trains, vans and ferry transfers between popular backpack destinations in Laos. However, the use of 12GOAsia in Laos is fairly new. That means some travel routes and companies won’t use the website to facilitate bookings yet. For example, the minibus from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang is not bookable online (yet!). If you cannot find a certain travel route on 12GOAsia, you must book it through a travel agency, directly at the bus station or through your hostel.
Unfortunately, ticket scalping for bus and train tickets is not uncommon in Laos. Some travel agencies purchase tickets in advance for certain transportation that they exclusively sell to tourists at a negotiable price. If a certain train or bus says it is sold out online or at the terminal, you may still be able to find tickets through travel agencies in Laos. Hostels are a great source of information on where to find tickets. They will also help with how to book them if you cannot book online yourself through 12GO Asia.
Getting around Laos by plane
Getting around Laos by plane is not a popular method of travel among backpackers. One reason that people don’t usually fly in Laos is due to the checkered safety record of the Laos National Airline, with the most recent crash being in 2013. However, since this event and the international speculation it raised, the airline has rebranded and now has a good safety record. The other factor influencing why so few travellers fly is that domestic flights are not very affordable due to a lack of competition between airlines. Laos only has two domestic carriers: Lao Skyway (previously Lao Air) and Laos Airlines (the National Airline, previously Lao Aviation). The main two airports, Luang Prabang and Vientiane, have many international flights in and out of these destinations.
There are also airports near Pakse, Nong Khiaw, Huay Xai, and Phonsavan, but these are tiny regional airports. Lao Skyway is the only airline that flies in and out of these airports. You can only book flights direct through their website (you can’t find them on Skyscanner or Google Flights). The Lao Skyway website is not user-friendly, and the translations of pages can make it difficult to book tickets yourself. It’s much easier and cheaper to overland in Laos, particularly since the opening of the new high-speed rail in 2021.
Getting around Laos by train
Since 2021, a new high-speed train is connecting Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and China. Previously, the main way to get between these places would be via buses that were sometimes not air-conditioned and went on rough, bumpy roads. The other alternative was to fly, which was expensive given the lack of competition between airlines. The Laos high-speed train is a mid-price alternative for people who want to reach their destination fast and comfortably but on a budget.
Train tickets can be purchased online on 12GOAsia, through hostels, travel agencies or at the train station. For the Laos high-speed train, try to purchase tickets a few days in advance to avoid disappointment. The trains are really comfortable, well-airconditioned and the scenery out the window makes it well worth it. Trains in Laos are much faster than buses as well, Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is usually a 6 hr bus journey, but the train only takes 50 minutes.
Tips for catching the high-speed rail in Laos
- You will have to go through a security check to board. They have very tight security measures similar to going through airport security. They will fully scan your bag and may ask to search it. Many people got aerosol cans and other items confiscated.
- The train boards in a very orderly manner. Once you clear security, you wait at the seats in the terminal until they call your train to board. Once this happens, they check your ticket (like boarding a plane), and you’ll be directed to stand in a section of the platform based on which carriage you are on. Everyone queues in different lines depending on which door you need to get on. You need to make sure you get in the right queue as it is busy and hard to move between carriages once you board.
- Be prepared for a lack of storage for bigger bags or suitcases. They have overheard storage, but lifting a heavy bag over your head can be difficult. Many travellers end up putting their bags where their feet go or having them in the passageway.
Getting around Laos by bus
There are many bus and van routes connecting popular tourist destinations in Laos. Ideally, I would catch the train as much as possible in Laos, as it is much more comfortable and faster. Buses are a good alternative if you can’t get a ticket on the train or want to save a few dollars. However, the roads in Laos connecting cities can be incredibly rough, making for a bumpy journey. Many buses aren’t adequately air-conditioned. Also, they will squeeze extra people in the bus, even if it means they sit on the floor in the walkway. Honestly, the buses and vans in Laos are much worse in quality compared to buses in Vietnam or Thailand.
A warning on night buses in Laos
If you are considering catching a sleeper bus in Laos, be warned that not all sleeper buses are made the same. There are a couple of routes in Laos that have sleeper buses: Nong Khiaw to Vientiane, Vientiane to Pakse and Vientiane to Phonsavan. There are so many mixed reviews about these night buses; unfortunately, I have a bit of a horror story. I caught the bus from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane, and it was certainly an experience! I was travelling with a friend and what we assumed would be our own beds through a travel agency in Nong Khiaw.
It turns out they don’t actually assign seats or beds, and they cram as many people as they can into the bus. My friend and I had to share a tiny single bed between the two of us. We were actually the lucky ones; another solo traveller on our bus had to share a bed barely big enough for one person with a random man who didn’t speak English. Some of the other beds had two adults and three children squeezed into them (I still don’t understand how they managed this). Other people who didn’t get a bed sat on stools or on the floor and filled the aisle for the whole 14 hr night bus journey. The women sitting next to our bed were fascinated by myself and my friend and kept staring, touching our skin and hair in curiosity while we were trying to sleep.
Throughout the night bus journey, the driver would play music loudly on his phone randomly, beep his horn and make lots of noise. For some unknown reason, the lights (which were placed to shine right on our faces) would turn on every hour or so and then switch back off again. Also, inexplicably, the aircon was turned on and off at random times. When it was off, you were sweating (there were like 100 extra people past the bus capacity squeezed on board). Then, it would randomly turn back on and be on the highest setting. The aircon vents were next to the lights, which were right above everyone’s faces, so you’d get blasted with cold air. On top of this, the roads were incredibly bumpy, so safe to say we barely slept the whole 14-hour journey.
All up, it was a funny and strange experience on the night bus in Laos! I probably would not recommend getting the night bus in Laos because you risk a similar experience to what I had. That being said, many people have a normal experience on the night bus. I think it really just comes down to luck and what route you are travelling.
Tuk Tuks, Songthaews and Taxis
Unfortunately, no Grab, Gojek, Uber or other rideshare company is operating in Laos. To get around a city, you will need to rely on Tuk Tuks, Songthaews and Taxis. These do not have a fixed price, so you will need to haggle to get a fair price. Check out my full guide here for advice on haggling in South East Asia. You can generally find them hanging around train/bus stations, near tourist sights, or you can hail one down on the street.
Taxis
Taxis in Laos are generally yellow in colour and easily portable by the “Taxi” sign on the roof. Unlike in many Western countries, they do not have meters, so prices must be negotiated. Unfortunately, there is no Grab in Laos, so there is no pricing benchmark for Taxis. That means they can charge whatever they want, and they will, knowing you often do not have another option. Personally, I would try to avoid Taxis in Laos where possible. Instead opting for more affordable Songthaews, Tuk Tuks, or just walking from place to place.
Tuk Tuks
Tuk Tuks are motorised three-wheeled vehicles popular in many countries in South East Asia. The driver sits in the front, and you can generally get 3-4 people in the back. They are open-air but quite often have a clear covering over the back to shield them from wind and rain. Tuk Tuks are usually bright colours like green or blue, so they are easily spottable. Tuk Tuks will always be cheaper than Taxis, but make sure you haggle and agree on a price before you get in.
Songthaews
Songthaews are big open-air converted trucks. They will usually have 2-3 seats in the front (one is for the driver). Then have the tray or flatbed portion on the truck converted into seating that can fit up to 14 people. They also have a roof with roof racks and ropes where they can tie luggage for extra storage. Songthaews usually run along popular routes or you can rent a Songthaew privately for a day.
Songthaews are common to get to and from bus and train terminals. Make sure you haggle the price before you get in! They may pick up extra passengers on the way or wait at terminals until more people join. Songthaews will be cheaper again than Tuk Tuks. However, they often will not run a direct route between where you are and where you want to go as they make stops on the way.
Getting around Laos on foot
In most cities in Laos, cafes, restaurants, bars and other sights will be close by and walkable on foot. As in much of South East Asia, there are not really footpaths, so you will have to walk on the road. If there are footpaths, usually they will be used for scooter parking. Cars drive on the right-hand-side of the road in Laos. So it is better to walk on the left-hand side of the road so you can see oncoming traffic and navigate around it. Walking around Laos feels very safe, particularly alone as a female at night. The only real risk is stray dogs. Make sure you keep a fair distance from any dogs as they are often territorial and used as guard dogs. If you get bitten, make sure you head to a hospital asap to get a rabies shot!
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