- last updated 11 September 2010
- old version of this page (info from August 2007) here
- thank you to gopeace for 09 August 2010 info
Located next to Khua Din market, across from the Morning market/Talat Sao shopping mall (at ID202 on this map). Hence often referred to as 'morning market bus station' in travel guides:
(Photos from August 2007)
Services within Vientiane municipality
(Photos from 28 November 2009; no change in timetables as of 09 August 2010)
Overview map (approximate location of Wattay Airport marked in red):
Click here for full size version
Timetables:
Notes:
Fares are ~4000kip.
Buses often do not display their service numbers, but only their destinations in Lao script.
Passengers can board & alight anywhere along the routes.
To Friendship Bridge - #14 (Tha Deua) bus.
To Vientiane Southern bus station - #29 (Dong Dok) bus.
To Wattay Airport - #03 (Tat Thong), #30 (Thong Pong), & #49 (Nong Taeng) buses all pass by the turn off to the airport, a few hundred metres walk (red line on above map) to the international & domestic terminals. The outbound #49 (Nong Taeng) bus can also be flagged down along Samsenthai Road.
Services to Vientiane province & southern Laos
(Photos from 28 November 2009; except for Vang Vieng, no change in timetables as of 09 August 2010)
Overview map:
Click here for full size version
Timetable (destinations within Vientiane province):
Timetable (Vang Vieng, 09 August 2010):
Photo by gopeace, 09 August 2010
Timetable (destinations in southern Laos):
Distances to various destinations:
Click here for full size version
Services to northeast Thailand
(Photos from 01 December 2009; except for Nakhon Ratchasima, no change in timetable as of 09 August 2010)
Vientiane > Nong Khai (fare 15,000kip):
Vientiane > Udon Thani (romanised as Oudon Thany by the Lao, fare 22,000kip):
Vientiane > Khon Kaen (fare 50,000kip):
Vientiane > Nakhon Ratchasima (fare 82,000kip, 09 August 2010):
Photos by gopeace, 09 August 2010
Note:
The board lists the fare as 80,000kip, but the paper below says 82,000kip.
'Not accept get back ticket' is Lao-glish for 'no refund on tickets sold'.
2 comments:
Thanks for posting the photo of the bus stop, at least I'll know what to look for when I arrive in
Vientiane.
>
* Note: in August 2010 it was mentioned that this bus station would be replaced by a new one located in Ban Dongnathong. In September 2010 it was announced that the new bus station would be completed by the end of October 2010. Those travelling from Vientiane capital to northern Laos by bus, please check with locals for updates. News, photos & other info about the new northern bus station are most welcome.<
On Saturday Oct 9, I was instructed by Khamsouk (See our blog on http://www.foodfromnorthernlaos.com/2010/10/16/animal-forest/)
to go at 5.30 in the morning to the Northern Bus station, to collect a bag which her mother had sent to us per her instructions. The bag would hold a fresh supply of the wonderful sweet northern rattan, some more Mai Sakhan and some Banana flower of a special forest variety, near her village.
We had not asked for such shipment, but she took it for granted that each time we left Laos to return to our Thai home near Sattahip, we would require such ingredients, to allow Mehtou (Grandmother, which is her name for my wife Dorothy) to cook essential Lao dishes.
I protested that she knew that I didn't perform well at 5.30 am, she responded by saying she'd keep in touch with the driver and would phone me when he arrived in VT. She also informed me that the bus station was changing location and I'd have to go to the new one, although she didn't say where that would be, I could find out.
Next morning,7.30 she phones: Pohtou, are you awake?
Yes.
The bus has arrived in VT.
Thank you, I'll go.
The reception desk at my hotel claimed no knowledge of a new bus station.
We drove to the old one, the bus was in its usual place, driver dozing. I asked him fo a bag with food left by my friend Khamsouk.
He rummaged around, and found it. Luckily, this time there was no blood dripping form it (a previous time, she was carrying 3 recently killed 'prook', squirrels, but at a stop by police to inspect, it was seen to be leaking blood and confiscated by the police as illegal goods. I have no doubt that half an hour later, the same policemen would happily munch away on some roasted squirrel, but Khamsouk was most distressed, her dad had gone out early morning to the forest especially to catch them as present for Potouh.)
I received the bag and thanked the driver. then asked him when they'd arrived. 5.30!
Khamsouk had once again outwitted me. She suspected that lazy old man Potouh may not be prepared to get up at 5.30, but later ,and forget to go past the elusive Northern bus station to directly go to the bridge and leave Laos. By delaying my info about the actual arrival, she ensured we did receive this wonderful gift after all.
And it was put to good use . That evening, visiting friends in Isan, Sawan Daeng Din, our hostess expressed great delight at seeing our book, so Dorothy had some ingredients to cook an authentic northern Lao dish for an amazed Isan family. But maybe she'll write more about that herself.
Anyway, all this is really to confirm that as of one week ago, the Northern Bus Station in VT was where it has always been, T2.
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