Bus/songthaew/boat schedules/details

Compiled from various sources. Please let the cat know of any errors - drop an email to: laomeow at gmail dot com. Contributions & updates (photographed, handwritten, or links to info on other websites, etc) most welcome & much appreciated. Created: 05 July 2008. Info last added: 24 Sept 2009.

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DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
Lao Airlines (official site, best viewed in IE)
Lao Air (Phongsaly, Sam Nuea, Sayabouly & charter flights)

Airport photos:
Boun Neua airport, Phongsaly province (March 2009) (Lost Gaijin)
Huayxai airport, Bokeo province (January 2008) (rea-neill)
Luang Namtha airport, Luang Namtha province (September 2008) (Ian Taylor)
Sam Neua airport, Houa Phan province (2006) (aemilys)

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BOKEO PROVINCE
Huay Xai bus station (~4KM south of town) (photo)
Timetable (26 February 2009) (Ian Taylor)

Huay Xai slowboat landing
* 26 October 2008 fares (MapHobo)
To Pak Beng - daily (110,000kip)
Departs when there are enough passengers (~100) to sink the boat (~11:00AM).
* To Luang Namtha via Pak Tha & Nalae - see here.

Huay Xai speedboat landing
~3KM south of town
* 26 October 2008 fares (MapHobo)
To Pak Beng - 180,000kip/pax or 1,080,000kip/boat (max 6 pax)
To Luang Prabang - 360,000kip/pax or 2,160,000kip/boat (max 6 pax)

Ton Pheung district
* January 2007 info:
Ban Mon to Huay Xai - morning, 150baht (not daily)
Ton Pheung to Huay Xai - morning & afternoon, 120baht

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CHAMPASAK PROVINCE
Pakse transport info from bolaven.com

Pakse bus station
Located ~5KM north along Route 12 highway, past the airport (Chanpheng, July 2008)

Pakse VIP bus station
Located ~2KM south along Route 12 highway (Kieng Kai, Saengchalern & Thongsalai bus companies). Another company also has VIP buses near the central market, by the Xedon River (Chanpheng, July 2008)
Kieng Kai VIP bus schedule

Paksong transport info from bolaven.com

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HOUA PHANH PROVINCE
Sam Neua southern (Phoutanou) bus station
Please see this page for more details (January 2009).

Sam Neua eastern (Nathong) bus/songthaew station (~3km east of Post Office & market area)
* April 2008 info
To Xam Tai - 9:00AM 36,000kip
To Muang Et - 8:30AM 34,000kip
To Sop Bao - 8:00AM, 12:00PM 21,000kip, or Muang Et-bound songthaew
To Thanh Hoa (Vietnam) - 8:00AM Saturdays only 100,000kip
* To Vieng Xai - 10,000kip (23 January 2009)
* To Na Meo/Nam Xoi border crossing - 7:00AM ~20,000kip (November 2008)

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LUANG NAMTHA PROVINCE
Luang Namtha new bus station (near airport) (photo, September 2008)
* Timetable (Jan 2009) (ariyan)
* Timetable (March 2009) (Ian Taylor)

Luang Namtha songthaew station (old bus station next to market)
* Timetable (Jan 2009) (ariyan)

Old info for reference: April 2008 info

Muang Long
* 29 December 2008 info (laobumpkin)
To Xieng Kok - 9:00AM, 12:00PM 12,000kip
To Muang Sing - 8:30AM, 11:00AM, 2:00PM 22,000kip
To Luang Namtha - 9:00AM 44,000kip

Muang Sing bus station (photo, December 2006)
To Luang Namtha - 8:00AM, 9:30AM, 11:00AM, 13:00PM, 15:00PM (mzungu70, 10 July 2008)
* December 2006 - this & the main market had been relocated northeast.

Xieng Kok
* January 2007 info
Songthaew to Muang Long - three daily 8-9AM, 11AM-12PM, 1-2PM (actual time depends on weather & no. of pax) 12,000kip
* 29 December 2008 info (laobumpkin)
Speedboat to Ban Mon - 3000baht/boat (max 6 pax)
Speedboat to Ton Pheung - 4000baht/boat (max 6 pax)
(from Ban Mon & Ton Pheung to Huay Xai, see Bokeo section)
Speedboat to Huay Xai - 6000baht/boat (max 6 pax)
Speedboat upriver to Xieng Khaeng - 4000baht/boat (max 6 pax)

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LUANG PRABANG PROVINCE
Please see this page for more details.

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OUDOMXAY PROVINCE
Oudomxay bus station (photo, December 2006)
* Timetable (March 2009) (www.oudomxay.tourismlaos.org)
* To Jinghong 景洪 (China): daily (no further details from 25 November 2008 KPL article)

Old info for reference: Destinations & fares (September 2008) (Ian Taylor); Timetable (2007)

Pak Beng slowboat landing
* 26 October 2008 fares
To Luang Prabang - 110,000kip/pax
To Huay Xai - 110,000kip/pax

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PHONGSALY PROVINCE
Muang Khua - opposite bank of Nam Ou river (photo)
* October 2007 info (jp_geckozy)
To Dien Bien Phu (Vietnam) - 7:00AM (Sun, Tue, Wed, Fri only)
reportedly changed to daily service - January 2009 info from jp_geckozy

Ou Tai bus station
Ou Tai north to Lantui (2007)
Left column = place, middle = distance (KM), right = fare (kip)
Very rough transliteration of left column, top to bottom:
Naa Ling > Ban Phor > Naa Yao >
Naa Kong > Bor Tai > Ou Neua >
Suay Ngam > Xieng Siaw > Som Heuang >
Xaew Jai > Lan Tui > Xay Daen

Ou Tai south to Boun Neua (2007)
Left column = place, middle = distance (KM), right = fare (kip)
Very rough transliteration of left column, top to bottom:
Si Cha Chai > Ou Pao Tai > Huay Ou >
Soum Kham > Pang Hok Kao > Pang Hok Mai >
Sop Khing > Ngai Neua > Huay Nyeung >
Ban Noy > Phieng Xai > Xieng Fa >
Na Por > Boun Neua

Phongsaly bus station
Highly suspected to be the 2007 timetable
(Inferred based on combination of destinations)
* Believe at your own risk *
Very rough translation of right column, top to bottom:
Boun Neua - morning 7:20AM, afternoon 12:30PM
Meuang La (勐腊 Mengla in China via Boun Neua & Ban Yo?) - morning 7:30AM afternoon 13:30PM
Jiang Xoen (江城 Jiangcheng in China via Ou Tai & Lantui) - morning 8:25AM
Udomxai - morning 8:00AM
Vientiane - morning 8:20AM
* December 2006 - this bus station had been relocated ~4KM out of town along road to Boun Neua.
* January 2008 - transport to Hat Sa now departs from ~2KM out of town instead of near the market (bomchacha).

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SAYABOULY PROVINCE
Sayabouly northern bus station (photo, 8 September 2009) (Ian Taylor)
* Timetable (8 September 2009) (Ian Taylor)
To Luang Prabang - 9:00AM (ordinary bus), 2:00PM (songthaew)
To Hongsa & Muang Ngeun - 11:00AM (Toyota Hilux D4D Tiger)
To Muang Xienghone - 1:00PM (Toyota Hilux D4D Tiger)
To Vientiane - 10:00AM, 1:30PM (ordinary bus), 4:00PM (AC bus)

Sayabouly southern bus station
* March 2007 info
To Pak Lay - 7:30AM, 10:00AM, 12:00PM 45,000kip

Pak Lai bus station (1km south of town)
* March 2007 info
To Vientiane - 9:00AM 70,000kip
To Sayabouly - 7:30AM, 8:30AM, 10:30AM 45,000kip
To Kaen Thao - 10:00AM, 12:00PM, 2:00PM 25,000kip

Pak Lai boat landing
* March 2007 info
To Vientiane - slowboat on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, & speedboat (on demand)

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VIENTIANE CAPITAL
Khua Din bus station (aka. Talat Sao/morning market bus station)
Please see this page for more details (October 2008).

Northern bus station
Please see this page for more details (October 2008).

Southern bus station
Located at KM 9 along Route 13 highway (Chanpheng, July 2008).
* Timetable & fares (June 2009) (ieclipse)
* Photos & VIP bus services to the south by Darly of laovoices

Kao Liaw boat landing
(#03 Tatthong bus from Khua Din bus station, then 5min walk - December 2006)
To Pak Lai - slowboat on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, & speedboat (on demand) (March 2007)

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VIENTIANE PROVINCE
Vang Vieng
* 29 Aug 2008 info
To Vientiane (minibus) - 9:00AM 80,000kip
To Vientiane (VIP bus) - 10:00AM & 13:50PM 60,000kip
To Luang Prabang (minibus) - 9:00AM 120,000kip
To Luang Prabang (VIP bus) - 10:00AM 115,000kip
To Phonsavanh - 9:00AM 115,000kip

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XIENG KHOUANG PROVINCE
Phonsavanh bus station
Located ~2KM west of town along Route 7 highway (Chanpheng, July 2008).
* 31 January 2009 timetable (bomchacha), no change as of 13 February 2009 (Dan)

Click here for full size image
Comparing with the July 2008 photo (ongkh), seems that some numbers have been peeled off, not sure if those departures have been cancelled?
* March 2008 info
To Pak Xan via Thathom - 8:00AM 80,000kip (dry season only?)

Phonsavanh Nam Ngum market
* March 2008 info
To Muang Khoune - 8:30AM, 9:30AM, 10:30AM, 11:30AM, 1:00PM, 2:30PM, 3:30PM 13,000kip

Phonsavanh wet market
* March 2008 info
To Nong Het - 7:00AM, 8:00AM, 9:00AM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM 40,000kip
To Muang Kham - hourly between 7:00AM-4:00PM 20,000kip

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THAI-LAO INTERNATIONAL BUS SERVICES

Udon Thani bus station nearest Charoensri shopping mall
Udon Thani to Vientiane - International bus timetable (28 July 2007; still unchanged as of 11 October 2008)


NOTE:
Approx. 2.5-3h journey time including immigration clearance; 5 baht extra charge on weekends; if tickets are sold out, or the bus for a certain timeslot has been cancelled due to breakdown (there are no spare buses), it is possible to pay the normal fare for a crammed standing space - go directly to the bus & negotiate.

* Udon Thani-Vientiane International bus timetable & fares (Thai only)
* Nong Khai-Vientiane International bus timetable & fares (Thai only)
* Khon Kaen-Vientiane International bus timetable & fares (Thai only)
* Ubon Rachathani-Pakse International bus timetable & fares (Thai only)
* Mukdahan-Savannakhet International bus timetable & fares (Thai only)
(For the 5 websites linked above, left 3 columns are departure time, departure point in Thailand, & fare in Thai baht; right 3 columns are departure time, departure point in Laos, & fare in Lao kip.)

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Thank you to the following sources:
laobumpkin
pimpon1993
lao-bus-time-table.blogspot.com
Lam Merison
tools4fools
jp_geckozy
Chris Wee
Chanpheng
bomchacha
mzungu70
ongkh
Ian Taylor
MapHobo
ieclipse
ariyan
Darly
bolaven.com
fusionoize
Wishing you all happy journeys :)