How to get from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang

Why visit Luang Prabang?

Luang Prabang is the former royal capital of Laos. A beautiful fusion of traditional Lao architecture and colonial design, this ancient city sits at the junction of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Luang Prabang lifts up your spirits with its 33 Buddhist temples and awakens your senses with its picturesque landscape.

Backdropped by mountains, adventurers will find plenty of things to do in Luang Prabang. You’ll find turquoise waterfalls, trekking trips and biking trails on the outskirts of town. Our favourite part? The friendly atmosphere and slow life that it was somehow able to maintain despite the growing number of tourists.

There are 3 ways to travel the 183 kilometers (114 miles) from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. You can choose between the minivan, private transport and train. The journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by train. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at $20 (438,000 LAK).

A fast way to travel from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang is by train. While travel time is as short as 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours, travelling by train on this route also has disadvantages.

The train stations are outside the city centres and you can purchase your tickets only at the station during specific hours.

The railway station in Vang Vieng is about 4kms away from the town centre. Tuk-tuks are located all over town to get you around.

A tuk-tuk ride to the train station would cost about $2 (43,000 LAK) per person and take 10 minutes.

The trains on this route are high-speed trains of the new Laos-China railway. Expect a scenic ride for 50m - 1h 30m from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang.

Note that tickets are available only at the stations’ ticket offices. See here the opening hours of the ticket office in Vang Vieng:

• Morning: 07:30-09:30
• Afternoon: 14:00-19:20

Chances are high that tickets are already sold out if you’re buying them only on the day of your trip. Otherwise, you’ll still need to line up for tickets, which may take up to 1-2 hours.

A second-class ticket costs $7 (152,000 LAK) if you buy it at the station. Meanwhile, a second-class ticket costs $19.30 (419,000 LAK) on BookAway. You can also book a taxi + train transfer that costs $19 (412,000 LAK) on 12GoAsia.

Note that locals often line up to buy tickets at the station and resell them for a higher price through hotels and travel agencies.

Similar to the railway station in Vang Vieng, the railway station in Luang Prabang is outside the city centre, about 12 km away.

Minivans are available outside the train station to take you to the city centre. A ride that takes 20 minutes costs $2 (43,000 LAK) per person.

Since Luang Prabang is not far from the picturesque town of Vang Vieng, most companies operate this route with minivans.

The route from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang has a lot of winding roads. If you’re prone to motion sickness, make sure you take an anti-sickness tablet before the trip. Also, keep in mind that landslides are common during the rainy season.

Despite the potential motion sickness caused by twisting roads, the route has amazing views of rural life. You get a glimpse of how the locals thrive on having a simple lifestyle.

To serve as your guide in planning your trip from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, we’ve provided you with an overview of the trips operated along this route:

A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang.

Rates start from $155 (3,364,000 LAK) for a 4-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s about $39 (841,000 LAK) per person. Travel time is around 4 hours.