July 2, 2015

Overland Penang - Laos : Bangkok to Laos by Train

Read about my train ride from Penang to Bangkok here .

I got my ticket to Laos as soon as I arrived in Hua Lamphong Station. Ticket price was 758 Baht.  
Spent a couple of days in Bangkok, and I was ready for another long train ride.

Luckily, it only took half the journey time from Penang to Bangkok. The train departed at 8 pm from Hua Lamphong Railway Station and arrived in Nong Khai at 8 am.

Basically, the train is almost similar with my previous ride but this is an older version.

My ticket is on the 2nd class air-cond sleepers.


 By day, bays of seats on either side of the aisle.



At night, upper and lower berth fold out, each with curtains for privacy.



 my bed

 wash basin


The toilets.



Once arrived in Nong Khai, you can either go out from the train station and visit the small town or simply head to the immigration counter to continue your journey to Laos.  


I went through the immigration, and from here I had to take a connecting train to Thanaleng in Laos. The fare was 20 Baht.



 Nong Khai - Thanaleng connecting train


3rd-class coach

The train crosses the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, a bridge over the Mekong river connecting Nong Khai in Thailand with Thanaleng in Laos.




Welcome to Lao PDR.




Had to go for another immigration check point in Thanaleng.



Malaysians do not need a visa to visit Laos. But if you are citizens from other countries who need it, you can apply it on arrival.


The station is very small, and I could see a group of taxi and minivan drivers were already waiting at the station exit. As all the other travelers and I made our way out from the gate, one by one approached us.


Taxi would be expensive so some of the travelers and I waited if there were any tuk-tuk coming to the deserted station. Minutes passed and one by one, the minivans and the taxis left with passengers. But still, no tuk-tuk were in sight. Afraid we were going the be stranded at the railway station, finally we decided to share the minivan to central Vientiane. Cost me 150 Baht.

Thanaleng and Vientiane is not that far, just about 20 km in distance. Arrived at my hostel in less than half an hour.

Next read : Visiting Vientiane

2 comments:

Supermeng Malaya said...

hey Rara... how long your whole trip from bkk to Vientiane? how did you come back to kl?

rara said...

@Supermeng: I spent 10 days on the trip, from Bkk to Vientiane, Vang Vieng and up to Luang Prabang. Went back to KL by flight :D