On the Road: Luang Prabang to Vientiane by Bus

When you’re travelling Luang Prabang to Vientiane by bus, and it falls on a Sunday, make sure to reserve your seats early or you’ll end up spending another night in the town.

It didn’t happen to me, thank God, or else I’ll end up staying overnight in the bus terminal. Haha.

My new friends from Indonesia will be travelling back to Vientiane the same day I do. So Anis and I went to the bus station at around 9am to purchase our tickets in advance. They needed to be in Vientiane as early as 4am because they need to catch their flight back to Indonesia by 9am. While I’m in no hurry getting back to Vientiane because my train to Bangkok does not leave until 6pm. They took the 4pm Express bus (110,000kip) while I had my VIP sitting bus at 730pm (130,000kip). VIP sleeper bus leaves at 8pm (150,000)

At the counter, we met this very friendly guy, Mike… I complained to him about what happened to our VIP bus on my way to LP…so I asked him to make sure that the aircon of the VIP bus works this time and it cannot break down in the middle of the road, because I no longer have extra 20,000 kip to pay for another transfer to sleeper bus. Haha. (By the way, it was Mike to give me free ride to Kuangsi Falls…)

That day, according to Mike, there were only three buses travelling from LP to Vientiane. The one that departs at 4pm (express bus), then 730pm (VIP bus) and 8pm (sleeper bus). It doesn’t really happen every day, but just to be safe, buy your tickets early. It was the sleeper bus who got fully booked first.

Minutes before 7pm, I was already in the bus terminal, with my other Chinese friend Ben.

VIP Sleeper bus - 150,000kip (last trip 8pm)

VIP sitting bus - 130,000kip (last trip - 730pm)

I am really sure if the bus left the station on the dot, because I was sleepy already. Thanks to Mike, I got the best seat in the bus. Haha.

VIP buses offers free meal, coupon is attached to your ticket. But I wasn’t able to use mine. Food looks okay, but not really that appetizing for me.

bus stop

After almost 12 grueling ride, we arrive in the northern bus terminal in Vientiane. We then joined the locals riding the public tuktuk that cost 20,000kip. We dropped off at the central bus station (near Talat Sao mall).