A guide to the Laos-China Railway from Vientiane to Boten, including tickets, train types, station guides, onboard amenities, and transport to stations.
The Laos-China Railway is a semi-high-speed railway in Laos that operates from Vientiane to Boten, with main stations in Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and Muang Xai.
Here everything you need to know about the Laos-China Railway.
Laos-China Railway guide
Laos-China Railway map
About the Laos-China Railway
Buying tickets
Stations
Station security
Restaurants and shops
Station toilets
Express and Local Services
Onboard the Laos-China Railway
Seats onboard the Laos-China Railway
Onboard food
Onboard toilets
Views from the train
Transport to stations
International travel to China
Further reading
Laos-China Railway map
About the Laos-China Railway
The Laos-China Railway is 414.332 kilometres, of which there are 258.5 kilometres of bridges and tunnels.
The line is a standard gauge (same as China and Europe) and uses electric-powered trains (EMU). The line is on a single track with passing loops. Express trains have an operating speed of 160 km/h. Local trains and cargo trains travel up to 120 km/h.
[160 km/h on the Laos-China Railway.]
Website: http://www.lcrc.ltd/
Facebook: Laos – China Railway Company Limited
Buying tickets
[Muang Xai ticket office.]
The official Laos-China Railway website doesn’t sell tickets, so the easiest way to buy tickets online is via the online travel agent Baolau.
There are a few other ways to buy tickets, so here is my guide on how to buy tickets for the Laos-China Railway.
Stations
There are 10 passenger stations on the Boten-Vientiane line:
– Boten
– Na Teuy
– Na Moh
– Muang Xay
– Muang Nga
– Luang Prabang
– Kasi
– Vang Vieng,
– Phon Hong
– Vientiane
Station security
The stations have airport-style security where you have to have a ticket to enter the stations and your bags are scanned. Aerosols are listed as a banned item, so my can of deodorant was taken from me.
If you are bringing in water they make you drink a sip of it to prove that it’s not an explosive substance. This is the most sensible system I have seen anywhere for liquid security.
Restaurants and shops
Vientiane has the most variety of shops, so you can get there a bit earlier to do some people-watching at a station cafe.
[Pun Cafe at Vientiane Station.]
The main stations have cafes and convenience shops.
[Cafe Amazon at Vang Vieng.]
The stations are built in undeveloped areas, so there are no shops nearby. There are some roadside stalls at the entrance to Luang Prabang, but apart from that, don’t expect to get anything substantial to eat outside the stations.
[Roadside stalls at Luang Prabang Station.]
One thing that every station has is water fountains serving hot and cold water. This reminded me of my travels in China, where people bring their own flasks of tea, and where instant noodles are served everywhere.
Station toilets
The stations have the options of sit or squat toilets.
I was once again reminded of my travels in China by the fact that there is no toilet paper. If you have been travelling in Southeast Asia for a while you should be packing your own in your day bag. If you are new to this part of the world, then remember to bring your own.
Express and Local Services
There are two train types operating on this domestic route. The express service travels up to 160 km/h and only stops at the main stations:
– Vientiane
– Vang Vieng
– Luang Prabang
– Muang Xai (provincial capital of Oudomxay province)
– Na Teuy
– Boten (immigration frontier for China)
There is also a local train service that runs at a speed of up to 120 km/h. This one stops all stations and the tickets are cheaper.
Onboard the Laos-China Railway
[Boarding the train at Vientiane.]
When this train service opened it instantly became the most modern and fastest railway in Southeast Asia. The fastest train title now belongs to Whoosh, but it’s still a marvel to see such a train operating in Laos.
The trip from Vientiane to Luang Prabang used to take two days before the expressway was built, and even now it can take up to a day. Now it takes less than two hours to go from Vientiane to Luang Prabang by train.
Here is what the express train looks like arriving at Luang Prabang:
[Train arriving at Luang Prabang Station.]
The train can travel at a speed of up to 160 km/h, making it a semi-high-speed railway. It is not – as some media outlets keep repeating – a high-speed railway. It is an ideal speed for a country the size of Laos.
Seats onboard the Laos-China Railway
The seats in economy are in a 3×2 configuration, so the seats are a bit narrower compared to trains with a 2×2 configuration. It’s still a comfortable ride even in the 3-across section.
[5 seats across in economy.]
The most important thing is leg room, of which there is plenty. You can easily pass someone in the aisle, or recline your seat without guilt.
On my return trip from Vang Vieng to Vientiane my seatmate had taken over my space with her bags. there is so much legroom that I didn’t bother to move her bags for the 55-minute trip.
There are power outlets under the seats, but no wifi onboard.
I travelled in First Class from Muang Xai to Boten, where the seats are in 2×2 configuration.
[First Class seats on the Laos-China Railway.]
Unlike an airline, where the seat hierarchy is Economy-Business-First, the seat hierarchy on the Laos-China Railway is Economy-First-Business. The Business Class seats are in 1×2 configuration.
The local train service has non-reclinable cushioned bench seats in 2×3 configuration.
[Bench seats on the local Laos-China Railway.]
Onboard food
There is no cafe carriage onboard, but there is a snack cart that trundles up and down the train during the trip.
There are hot water dispensers in the train for tea and instant noodles.
Onboard toilets
One of the main reasons that trains are better than buses is that you can go to the toilet whenever you want.
The express trains have the option of squat toilets or sitting toilets.
Like the stations, there is no toilet paper, so come prepared.
Squat toilet on the local train.
Views from the train
There are some amazing views from the train, though once you go north of Vang Vieng you are going to see a lot of the inside of tunnels (there are so many tunnels!)
[Passing through a tunnel on the Laos-China Railway.]
Here is what to expect outside the tunnels.
[View near Vang Vieng.]
[Mekong crossing near Luang Prabang.]
[Second Mekong crossing.]
Transport to stations
Vientiane station is 17 km outside the city centre, so you need to factor in extra travel time to get there. Google Maps said it was 30 minutes in the morning, and we got there in 20 minutes.
Coming back to Vientiane it took about 55 minutes by bus to get from the station to the central bus station in peak hour traffic.
We got a private taxi that was arranged by the hotel for 170,000 LAK. On the way back I got the local bus that goes to the central bus station for 15,000 LAK.
Vang Vieng Station is about 4 km from the city centre. The transport prices are:
Shared tuktuk: 30,000 LAK
Private tuktuk 50,000 LAK
Motorbike taxi: 20,000 LAK
Luang Prabang Station is about 12 km from the historic centre of Luang Prabang, and it took about 25 minutes to get there. I was wondering what the transport situation would be like here as it will most likely be the most popular stop for tourism.
When we arrived we got a shared tuktuk with two Laotians. One of the men was a policeman (he showed us his ID) and we all paid 50,000 LAK each. With the policeman paying the same rate I guessed we paid the correct fare. On the way back I rented a private tuktuk for 80,000 LAK, and my friend went back earlier and rented a private car for 170,000 LAK. The official shared minivan price is listed at 35.000 LAK.
Muang Xai Station is about 3 km from the city centre.
Electric trolley: 5,000 LAK
Shared tuktuk: 30,000 LAK
Private tuktuk: 50,000 LAK
International travel to China
The railway is connected to the Yuxi–Mohan railway, which is the Chinese section of the Laos–China Railway. There is a daily service between Vientiane and Kunming South.
There is a separate international entrance at Boten to clear immigration.
At Boten station you have to leave the train and follow the path to the international section of the station.
You will need to check if you need a visa before booking a train ticket to China.
Tickets for train between Laos and China can also be booked via Baolau.
Buy Vientiane – Kunming train tickets.
Further reading
I have a historical archive of the construction of the Vientiane-Boten Railway.
Read more about Laos railways.
This train guide is part of the Southeast Asia railways guide.