Get in Louang phrabang By road, Get in Louang phrabang By Bus

Get in Louang phrabang By Road

Highway 13 connects Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the south and via Highway 1 to the north. Highway 13 is sealed and in relatively good shape during dry season all the way to Vientiane. Simply put - it is long bumpy and winding road trip. The road smacks of a lunar landscape and there are endless potholes due to poor quality grade surface, the top layer eroded to reveal the gravelly underlayer, which means a really bumpy ride. Though there have been incidents of violence along this stretch of road in the past, presently it is safe.

There are three bus stations, each a little bit out of town, which serve different directions. Tuk-tuk drivers know which bus station to go to for which destination. Ask around for bus schedules.

Tickets can be bought at every travel agent in town, which makes more sense than buying them at the bus station as there is only a difference of roughly 20,000 kip - which pays for the the shuttle ride (tuk-tuk) from place of accommodation to the bus station (impossible to walk), so it nullifies the gain. Pick those agencies which absorb the shuttle ride from the fare quote as others do not. Compare first before biting the quote. Book tickets in advance - particularly for "VIP" buses as they have reserved seats - and you don't want to end up sitting next to the toilet.

Bus & truck
Interprovincial buses and trucks – large sawngthaew – operate out of two bus terminals in Luang Prabang. In general, vehicles going to destinations north of Luang Prabang leave from the northern bus terminal (on Rte 13 about 4km north of the town centre, past the turn-off for Luang Prabang International Airport) while those going south leave from the southern bus terminal (several kilometres south of the town centre near the Luang Prabang Provincial Stadium). There are a few exceptions to this, due to the fact that different transport companies operate in each terminal, and on certain routes they compete.

The following travel times are only estimates – in Laos such factors as number of passengers, number of stops, the weather and road conditions affect travel times. Departure times may also change so check for updates when you’re in town.

Get in Louang phrabang By road, Get in Louang phrabang By Bus, Get in Louang phrabang By road, Get in Louang phrabang By Bus