There is no direct bus from Luang Prabang in Laos to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Chiang Rai in Thailand. However, you can take a direct international bus from Luang Prabang to Loei, covering a distance of 395 km, and then change a bus in Loei to get to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or any other destination in Thailand.
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Bus from Luang Prabang to Loei, Bangkok, Chiang Mai
To get from Luang Prabang to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, or other city in Thailand, you need to take a bus to Loei first. There's only one daily bus departure on this route, so you need to plan accordingly.
Bus from Luang Prabang to Loei
Departure Time & Tickets
Currently, the departure time from Luang Prabang is at 07:00 every day and the check-in time is one hour earlier.
Once traveling on this bus, we paid more than the advertised bus ticket price, because we made a reservation at the agency to make sure that we will get our seat on the bus. The price of the ticket included tuk-tuk transfer from hotel to the bus station in the early morning as well.
You can also book a ticket online here: Bus Luang Prabang - Loei.
Bus Station in Luang Prabang
The bus from Luang Prabang to Loei is not a door to door service, so you need to get yourself to the station to start your trip to Bangkok. The bus leaves from Naluang Bus Station, which is located about 10 minutes ride southwest of town.
When we arrived at the station, we just shown our reservation and they gave us bus tickets and food coupon for our lunch with our name on it. Before you purchase a ticket, they will make sure that you have a Thailand Visa for crossing the border or you are eligible to enter Thailand without visa.
Thailand Visa
If your nationality doesn’t let you enter Thailand visa-free and you don’t have your Thailand visa yet, please check beforehand. Thailand Visa on Arrival can be obtained at the crossing point as Nam Hueng – Tha Li border crossing is one of Immigration Checkpoints issuing Visa on Arrival but you need to make sure if the bus will wait for you at the boarder while you’ll be getting your visa on arrival.
Luang Prabang to Loei Bus Route
Bus route goes through Sayabouri & Pak Lay where the bus stops for lunch break. The drawback of using this bus is that it takes time. The duration of the trip from Luang Prabang to Loei is about 9-10 hours and varies depending on traffic conditions. It can take longer because the bus stops to pick up and drop off passengers along the way.
Border crossing on the bus from Luang Prabang to Bangkok
The steps of border crossing at the international border checkpoint of the Nam Heuang Thai Friendship Bridge where you can cross between Laos and Thailand in Loei Province are as following:
1. You’ll be dropped off on the Laos side border, where you can just walk straight to the line and present your passport to get stamped out of Laos.
2. Go back to the bus and cross over.
3. Proceed to Thailand entry point, present your passport and Thailand Visa (if you need to have one) and get an entry stamp. You might need to wait a bit here as the bus will wait for the Laotians getting all entry formalities done.
Transfer from Luang Prabang bus to Bangkok bus
To extend your trip from Luang Prabang to Bangkok, you need to change bus at Loei Bus Terminal.
Loei Bus Terminal
The bus from Luang Prabang terminates at Loei Bus Terminal. Loei bus station is not large but has many bus routes and you can arrange your transfer to the next destination here.
Popular bus routes to extend your trip from Luang Prabang to Thailand:
More information about local traveling in Thailand can be found here: Traveling around Thailand.
Tips
As there is only one daily bus on this route, it's advisable to book a ticket in advance. You can book it online here: Bus Luang Prabang - Loei.
If you will be visiting Loei province, don’t miss a chance to join Thai tourists in a charming town of Chiang Khan. To get an idea of what is interesting there, read the following:
Our 1 night experience in the town here: Slow Life in Chiang Khan, Loei.
If you have an opportunity to visit Isan and Chiang Khan, don't forget to put Phu Tok in your “must-visit destinations” list.
Don't miss out on the Must-Try Dishes in Chiang Khan, Loei.
