Friendship bridge

[JamesMichael]

Anyone taken the train across the bridge from Nong Khai ? I was thinking it would be easier to park at the station than find somewhere by the bridge. My main question is are there any shops selling cheap booze and fags like there are when you take the bus over the bridge?

[lassebasse]

I have taken this train from the Lao side to Nong Khai and on the Lao side there is nothing! This station is outside Vientianne and just sitting there by itself.

[FrazeeDK]

the new station on the north side of Vientiane is now open. The Thai and Lao are working out how they will deal wiih immigration procedures for the short 14km ride from Nong Khai station to Khmasavath station. The talk is Lao immigration may do all the process on the Thai side for trains to Vientiane and vice versa on the Lao side.. Until they work it out I don't see the "new" very short train route starting service.. The new service as of now will not be a through train service for the Bangkok to Nong Khai run. People will have to disembark that train at Nong Khai station and reboard the train to Vientiane.

[deankham]

Anyone taken the train across the bridge from Nong Khai ? I was thinking it would be easier to park at the station than find somewhere by the bridge. My main question is are there any shops selling cheap booze and fags like there are when you take the bus over the bridge?

Admittedly it was several years ago since I last crossed but I've never had a problem parking within 5 minutes walk of immigration on the Thai side of the bridge. Don't think I've ever had to pay for parking either.

Perhaps some members who've used it recently can confirm what parking is like now-a-days

[mak]

What's the procedure for driving across?

[Doodoo]

Google is our Friend

https://riderchris.com/thailand-laos-border-crossing/

[mak]

You can use your Thai driver's license, proving you have the purple book (International Transport Permit) which you can get in Nong Sung or Nong Khai. However I have heard you have to spend 2 days in Laos if you plan on a Visa On Arrival in Nong Khai.

[FrazeeDK]

just did a 4 day trip to Laos, one day in Vientiane then up by the fast train from Vientiane to Louang Prabang.

- we parked our car in a covered parking lot, 100 baht a day.. A "Visa Service" for 80 baht has all the paperwork for the Lao side so it speeds things up on the Lao side.Service is on the right side of the road near the bridge here: https://www.google.com/maps/@17.8659992 ... FQAw%3D%3D Rode the shuttle bus over, 60 baht. Lao Visa on arrival, good for 30 days cost $40 US. We exchanged Baht for dollars on the Thai side near the Visa shop.. The Lao immo want crisp bills. Paying in dollars saved me 300 baht..

For those interested in taking the train to Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang you can book/buy the tickets on line using the Lao Railway App https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... l=en&pli=1

We took 1st class up to Luang Prabang, round trip 1740 Baht.. They do have 2nd class cheaper and an "ordinary" train a bit more cheaper. The trip up took about 2 hours and 15 minutes, back 2 hours and 8 minutes. Smooth as silk at 160kph.

We arrived in Louang Prabang catch as catch can.. No reservations so hopped a van to town for 40,000 kip or about 65 baht apiece. it is a bumpy banged up road that took us nearly 45 minutes to get into town. The driver was knowledgable on hotels and guest houses but since there are literally hundreds, take your pick.. We stayed in an OK guest house a 5 minute walk from the main street center of town for about 1000 baht a night.. Up sides on the trip; Louang Prabang is a truly quaint city with lots of old French architecture. It seems there's a temple every 25 meters. Around the center of town are dozens of cafe's, bistros and restaurants with cheap stuff and hi-so.. Every Guest House can hook you up for local trips. Our first day we just grabbed a tuk-tuk and asked the guy to take us around town for a couple of hours with us stopping to walking into temples, the river bank etc. The 2nd day we paid 1,300 baht for a trip out to a famous falls a 45 minute ride south of the city.. Absolutely beautiful but a bumpy rid. Went to the large night market on the main city street and just did a lot of walking.... OK, downside for this time of year. AQI was at least 165 and the air was crappy.. It was 13C this morning, smoky and cloudy... If I return again I think late November, early December would give clear air and not quite sol cool plus still green..