Vientiane Travel Forum

[Multiple post alert: This is also posted below in the Udon Thani forum!]

For some strange reason, I'm able to find into from UT to VTE, but not the other way around. Is anyone able to enlighten me about the most efficient, least expensive way to get to UT from Vientiane?

(If some context helps, I'm just going to UT to grab a cheap flgt out on Tiger Air, which leaves at 9am....I assume I need to stay overnight in UT, so any ideas where to stay & when is latest I can leave VTE?)

thanks!

Here's what I did in 2000. Took a minivan from Vientiane to Friendship Bridge, then a bus across Friendsip bridge, then another minivan on the other side to Udon Thani. It was not a zip-zip-fast affair. If your UT flight leaves at 9:00, it is evident you can't sleep in Laos. Why don't you ask pattayaraj?

thanks! do you think much has changed in 7 years?? and, where'd you get the bus in VTE (both times I've been there in the past, I've flown both in and out!)?

What I did when I was there was :

- Went to Vientianne Bus Station
- Took the bus going to Friendship Highway (the ride was probably 15-30 minutes)
- Then cross over the bridge to the other checkpoint in Thailand (pretty much like the Singapore-Johor causeway clearance). There will be buses waiting to ferry you across.
- Once at Thai Border, there are minivans picking passengers to Udon Thani Airport. Bargain a bit on the fee and off you go, you will reach the airport in no time.

Is not very far, so, the trip was quite manageable for me.

thanks, Bee! Just to be on the safe side (because I know how slooooooow things can be in Laos), I'll see about taking the last bus in the night before the flight. I don't want to miss getting my flgt to Spore! ;-D

Hi -

I've never made it quite as far as Vientiane, but there is supposed to be a bus service from Vientiane to Udon Thani which started in 2004 - take a look at this page here:

http://www.tatnews.org/latest_update/detail.asp?id=2151

The last bus is at 5pm.

I would suggest that staying in Udon Thani the night before your flight is your best bet - you really are very unlikely to make it if you stay in Vientiane until the morning of your flight. But avoid the Queen Hotel in Udon - it's mentioned in the Rough Guide but it is an unpleasant dive of a place. I was there a few years ago and is was bad - and I've just read someone's recent blog which make it sound as if it has got worse (it mentions lots of cockroaches). I did move to the Charoensri Grand Royal Hotel for my second night and it was well worth the 1000 baht for the night.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

Jeremy

Jeremy,

Great info! Thanks for you help!

best, Ellen

While this doesn't pertain exactly to my OP, I figure I have some great VT minds here, so I thought I'd ask:

Will it be possible to pay in USD or even--gasp--kips or other currencies in Udon Thani? I'll be there under 24-hours, and would prefer not to change over to bahts if I don't need to.

Any pearls of wisdom? :-)

thanks again!

A hotel which excepts credit cards?

Hi -

You'll need baht for your departure tax at least - 500 baht at present and there are plans to hike it to 700 baht sometime in the near future - and they only take Thai baht in cash for that. You should be able to find a hotel that will take a credit card payment for your overnight stay, but your transfer to the airport will probably require cash in Thai baht as well.

If anyone does take your kip or dollars, it will be at a very poor exchange rate - you will probably be best to get some baht from an ATM (there are plenty in Udon Thani).

Cheers,

Jeremy

again, thanks! I suppose I'll now be hitting the ATMs once I get to Udon Thani!

The easiest and cheapest way is to go to the morning market bus station in Ventiane ,,, there you can get a bus to Udon Thani, the cost is 80 baht,,,

Ok. Great. I even know where the morning market is!