Laos Railway: Step-up your travel style
Do you want to avoid motion sickness and dread traffic jams when traveling by bus? Why don’t you consider choosing this new means of transportation when coming to Laos?
The high-speed railway route connecting the capital Vientiane of Laos and Kunming of Yunnan in China has turned this into a potential passageway for traveling purposes and national interconnecting freight lines. The railway station went into operation in October 2021. The route runs more than 400 km inland in Laos, passing through six stations in Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Muang Xai, Luang Namtha, and Boten.
Passengers are waiting at the railway platform. Source: IRJ
Transportation from cities to cities by the high-speed railway has become much more convenient for passengers ever since. Before, it took about 6 hours or more to move around from one city to another, whereas it only took 1 hour from the city of Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, and then an hour later to Vientiane using the railway.
TICKET BOOKING & OPERATING PROCEDURES
You can book tickets online using an account registered with a Lao domestic phone number. Buying tickets directly at the station requires a passport and booking before the train departs. Tickets go on sale 4 days in advance, with fixed ticket prices, each route has a different price.
High-speed train tickets are used in electronic or printed form. When arriving at the station, you should present the ticket and be subject to a security check similar to procedures at the airport. Later you will be checked by train staff for identification documents and seating position corresponding to your ticket once entering the station.
Passenger traveling on the Laos Railway with a spacious seat around the table area. Source: VnExpress
There are no shops around the station, so it’s very airy and clean. The waiting room is spacious, with enough seats for guests, and “no scenes of chaos or clutter of luggage.” Passengers line up orderly through the screening door, the procedure is quick, less than 5 minutes per person.
MODERN INTERIOR BRINGS A COMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE
With a good sound-proof system, the high-speed railway travels 160 km per hour but you can enjoy a relaxing time while immersed in the magnificent scenery of Laos.
There are 2 types of cabins: business class and economy class. The interior is very new and the seats have fabric upholstery so passengers can have the most comfortable experience possible. With modern equipment, charging sockets, and seating compartments designed like those on an airplane.
Seating compartments in the railway with a neat and modern structure.
There are many different types of seating compartments that serve many different purposes.
The private dining area will give you a comfortable space with a neat and clean design. At each stop, there is a 16-seat shuttle bus to transport passengers to the required destination at an affordable price.
At each stop, there is a 16-seat shuttle bus to transport passengers to the required destination.
This high-speed railway system has turned Laos from a landlocked country located deep in the mainland into an important transport link, greatly shortening the time and cost of transporting goods compared to using roads.
With this high-speed train being a bright spot in Laos tourism today, traveling on this means of transportation really brings many advantages to tourists and the local authorities. With the most modern structure, and operating procedures not inferior to any Western high-speed train system, consider choosing this form of travel the next time you visit Laos!
