Lao-Thai Railways Passenger Train Info by Hobo Maps - - - HOME

Here we go !!

Railway schedule & fares chart below for travel between Vientiane Khamsavath Station and Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station and other destinations in Thailand starting 19 July 2024. Passengers can board the train or get off at any of the stops.

Rapid Train 133/134 goes between Bangkok & Vientiane and has some sleeper berths.

Rapid Train 148/147 goes between Udon Thani & Vientiane with seating only.

Tickets can be purchased up to 180 days in advance at any of the stations in Thailand or booked by Thai mobile application "D-Ticket".

Tickets in Laos at first are only sold at Khamsavath Station the day of travel or maybe the day before.

The trains apparently go every day of the week.

International cross-border passengers will need to pass through immigration procedures at Nong Khai and Khamsavath stations which is planned to take less than 40 minutes at each place.

You cannot yet use a Lao e-visa on arrival at Khamsavath station but can apply for visa on arrival, same as if arriving in Laos across Friendship Bridge.

There is yet no currency exchange service at Khamsavath Station but baht is widely accepted for transport into Vientiane city.

There is bus service from Khamsavath into Morning Market (Talat Sao) central bus station in Vientiane for 30,000 kip. These buses are scheduled to depart soon after arrival of trains from Thailand. Morning Market (Talat Sao) bus departs at 11:20 & other times and bus to Lao-China Railway station departs 11:45 & other times.

See a YouTube video of the train trip from Bangkok to Laos in July 2024 - HERE

There is a Lao-China Railway (LCR) ticket sales counter at Khamsavath Station as shown below:

Khamsavath Station images below.

See good video of the overnight train trip from Bangkok to Vientiane in August 2024 HERE

The Lao-Thailand railway connections will be a boon for tourists and cross-border trade for the two countries. The Thailand-Laos rail line involves stations Nong Khai in Thailand and Thanaleng and Khamsavath in Vientiane Province Laos. The route also runs by the Thanaleng Dry Port container yard and Vientiane Logistics Park.

The extension line in Laos and Khamsavath station were mostly funded by Thailand under a combination of a grant and a low-interest loan through the Neighboring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA) with a total value of THB 900 million. The station has two platforms running along a 1-meter gauge track.

Map below shows the railway station locations and the new connecting line from Thanaleng Station in red color. The green-colored rail line shows the wider 1.435 meter wide rail line used by the fast train Lao-China Railway system.

Image below shows passenger railway carriages already in service between Nong Khai and Thanaleng Station but different Thai locomotives and carriages are expected to be used to meet increased passenger demand when Khamsavath Station is fully operational .

Thanaleng Passenger Station Details

Caution: Thanaleng Station may no longer operate for passenger service after 19 July 2024 when Vientiane to Bangkok trains begin running as described above.

The original 3.5 km Nong Khai to Thanaleng railway line was completed in 2008 and officially opened for service in March 2009 via the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.

There are tuk-tuks and minivans waiting at Thanaleng station for the twice-daily arrival of trains. Passengers are advised to take one of these minivan or tuk-tuk services or risk being stuck at Thanaleng Railway Station which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. For departures the ticket counter opens about 1 hour before the two daily trains are scheduled to depart. Tickets cost 20 Thai baht or the equivalent in Lao Kip.

Before departing from Thanaleng Station you need to get an exit stamp out of Laos. The immigration desk is opposite the ticket counter inside the main station building. If you fail to get an exit stamp out of Laos you can not pass through Thai immigration control at Nong Khai Railway Station and will not be allowed into Thailand. You will need to return to Thanaleng Station on the next train to get your exit stamp out of Laos.

Image below shows Thanaleng railway Station.

Thanaleng-Nong Khai Railway Jan. 2024 timetable below includes sleeper train transfer info.

Trains from Thanaleng Railway Station currently only travel to Nong Khai Train Station in Thailand where passengers can change to services on Thailand’s railway network. Direct trains to Bangkok depart from Nong Khai Train Station.

Nong Khai Railway Station image below.

Lao National Railway Authority seems to be in charge of developing and operating railway lines in Laos other than the Lao-China fast train system which is managed by Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd.

State Railway of Thailand and Lao Railway Authority made an agreement in 2022 that Khamsavath Station will function as an International Station and Lao Railway Authority has sent their train operators, maintenance staff and related officials to receive training on driving and maintaining Thai Railway locomotives and equipment.

Prior to the start of the Laos-China Railway system fast trains in late 2021 the only railway passenger train service in Laos was the short 3.5 km line from Thanaleng Station near the Mekong in Vientiane Province to Nong Khai Thailand across the Friendship Bridge. Thailand has been eager to extend this passenger line further into Laos closer to central Vientiane by funding the construction of an additional 7.5 km of tracks from Thanaleng Station to the new Khamsavath Station closer to central Vientiane.