Thursday, September 27, 2012

Vientiane northern bus station - 2012

  • errors, suggestions & updates, kindly contact: laomeow at gmail dot com
  • last updated on 27 September 2012
  • thank you to hobomaps.com for timetable info & gopeace & snowinjanuary for photos
  • older versions of this page here (28 February 2009), here (02 October 2010) & here (08 June 2011)


Vientiane (VTE) northern bus station aka. 'khiew loht saai neua':

Located at Sithong Road at GK142 on this map, ~700m east of junction with HWY 13.

Photos of the bus station (text in Japanese only).
More photos of the bus station (07 December 2010):

DSC01710
DSC01709
DSC01711
DSC01712
Photos by gopeace

Vientiane Northern Bus station
May 2011 - photo by snowinjanuary



Types of buses - photos from old northern bus station (11 October 2008):

PA110074a

Ordinary - 1st, 2nd, 5th & 6th from left. AC - 3rd from left. VIP - 4th & 7th from left.

* Photos of the new Vientiane-Luang Prabang sleeper bus here (March 2012)


Timetables & fares

There are 2 sources of timetable info at the bus station - (1) the timetables with fares posted for passengers, & (2) the bus drivers' roster for the day handwritten on a whiteboard. If there are discrepancies the latter would probably be the most up to date source, but it does not have details of the bus fares.

Vientiane to Luang Prabang (January 2012):



AC (110,000kip) - 0630, 0730, 0830, 1100, 1330, 1600, 1800
VIP (130,000kip) - 0800, 0900, 2000
sleeper bus (150,000kip) - ? (new service - photos here)

Notes:
To Bor Nam Oun: 60,000kip by VIP bus (03 December 2009)
To Phou Khoun: 80,000kip by AC bus (October 2008)
Buses to Bokeo, Luang Namtha, Oudomxay & Phongsaly will also pass through Luang Prabang.


Vientiane to Bokeo (Huay Xai) (January 2012):

VIP (230,000kip) - 1730

Note:
Bus passes through Oudomxay town in mid-afternoon the next day.


Vientiane to Houa Phan (Sam Neua) (January 2012):

via Luang Prabang
Ordinary (170,000kip) - 0700

via Phonsavan
Ordinary (170,000kip) - 0930, 1200
not sure if AC or VIP (190,000kip) - 1400

Note:
There are 2 routes - a longer route via Luang Prabang & a shorter route via Phonsavan. As of 05 August 2010, the 0700 bus travelled via Luang Prabang & the rest of the buses went via Phonsavan. Please double check with the ticket office at the bus station.


Vientiane to Luang Namtha (January 2012):

AC (180,000kip) - 0830, 1700


Vientiane to Oudomxay (January 2012):

Ordinary (130,000kip) - 0645, 1345
AC (150,000kip) - 1700
VIP (170,000kip) - 1600


Vientiane to Phongsaly (January 2012):


Ordinary (190,000kip) - 0715

Note:
This bus arrives in Boun Neua around 0830-0900++AM the next day.


Vientiane to Sayabouly (January 2012):

Ordinary (110,000kip) - 0900, 1600
AC (130,000kip) - 1830

Note:
There might be 2 routes for Vientiane-Sayabouly buses, one via Phou Khoun & Xieng Ngeun, the other via Xanakham. Please double check with the ticket office at the bus station.


Vientiane to Vang Vieng:
Any of the buses listed above, except the Vientiane-Xanakham-Sayabouly bus.


Vientiane to Xieng Khouang (Phonsavanh) (January 2012):


Vientiane to Phonsavanh
AC (110,000kip) - 0630, 0730, 0930, 1600, 1830
VIP (130,000kip) - 2000

Vientiane to Phonsavanh to Muang Kham to Nong Het
Not sure what type of bus (150,000kip) - 1100

Note:
3 of the daily buses to Houa Phan (Sam Neua) will pass through Phonsavan.


Vientiane to Pak Lay (January 2012):


Not sure of type of bus (90,000 kip) - 0800


Vientiane to Xanakham (January 2012):


Not sure of type of bus (70,000 kip) - 0630, 0730



Vientiane to Kaen Thao (January 2012):



Not sure of type of bus (100,000 kip) - 1000



Vientiane to Saysomboun Special Zone (January 2012):



Note:
Saysomboun Special Zone was carved up & absorbed into neighbouring provinces & in theory no longer exists; however it is still listed as 'khet (area) phiset (special) saysomboun' in this timetable.
It appears in the Lao language drivers' roster but is omitted from the English timetables.
It is not known whether foreigners are allowed on this bus.


Vientiane to China (January 2012):


Notes:
English translations are directly above the corresponding text in Chinese script.
The company telephone number is identical to that of Tongli Bus Co., which used to run this bus service - there might have been a change of company name.



Misc info (incomplete/unverified)
(Photos from old Northern bus station taken on 03 December 2009)

Vientiane to Cambodia?

PC030049

PC030051a

The poster & notice were displayed at different parts of the ticket office, no indication if Sorya Transport Co. is partnering Chitpasong Transport Co. to run this service, or if the two are rivals competing on the same route...

Vientiane - Attapeu sleeper bus?

PC030055
Click here for full size.

1 comment:

Kees Sprengers said...

Thank you Straycat, useful info. What an amazing new bus station. The old one was getting a bit dilapidated....