TRANSPORT BUS SERVICE...New direct route to Vientiane

[jvt22222]

A direct bus service between Khon Kaen and Vientiane will start running in December. It will compete with the service operated by the state-owned Transport Company Ltd, which departs from Udon Thani and is currently the only service going to Vientiane.

The Khon Kaen-Vientiane bus will depart two to four times a day, Khon Kaen land transport spokesman Art Srisamruan said.

He said bus passenger traffic had expanded in recent years as more Thai tourists visit the Lao capital. Many Lao people were also crossing the border for holidays as well as for medical treatment at hospitals in Khon Kaen.

The new, non-stop service would cater to this market, Mr Art said.

The current Udon Thani-Vientiane route goes through Nong Khai province and across the Thai-Lao Friendship to the Lao capital.

Mr Art said the new coach service will operate from Khon Kaen bus terminal and Talad Chao terminal on the Lao side.

A one-way ticket will cost 180 baht, or 50,000 Lao kip.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/23Oct2007_news17.php

... who may be thinking of using this service, remember that it's aimed at Thais who don't need a visa to enter Laos. The bus services that currently leave from Udon Thani and Nong Khai will only take Westerners if they already have a Laos visa before departure; getting one at the Bridge is not an option for those particular bus services

[TrongpaiExpat]

And, Talad Chao terminal on the Lao side is a dusty dirt parking lot with a old building and is not near anything. Unless it rained then it it's mud. The tuk tuks will over charge farangs to where ever you want to go from there. You have to walk to the street and flag one down rather than take the ones in the terminal. They will folow you to the street and keep reducing the price from an original offer of 400/500 Baht to a hotel but just keep walking.

That's a very good idea. Khon Kaen does have a large number of Lao migrant workers and even more Lao students who will be very happy for this service.

Visa on arrival is no good idea for Laos. The procedures can be very time consuming. Therefore I always arrange my visa with the Khon Kaen Lao General-consulate or Bangkok Embayssy. Especially the Khon Kaen service is fast and friendly.

With visa, immigration procedures at border are easy and the bus will surely wait until the last passenger it back.

Actually, foreigners without having a visa can surely embark busses in Udon Thani or Nong Khai for Vientiane. The one thing is, the bus will not wait for time consuming visa on arrival-procedures.

If someone will travel without visa, he need to leave the bus and arrange own transportation from the Lao border to Vientiane. But even this is worth doing since the ride is comfortable and more costs effective.

Vientiane main bus station (facing Morning Market) is perfectly central located, easy to reach even with local busses patrolling main roads. Even walking from Ngham Plu takes about 15 minutes only. All roads around are perfectly paved. Tuc Tuc fare is pending on distance but less as in Thailand.