Bus times from Udon Thani to Vientiane

By bus it takes 2 hours 00 minutes to travel from Udon Thani to Vientiane. This is about the same time it takes to complete the journey by train.

Bus Timetable from Udon Thani to Vientiane

Click on the Udon Thani – Vientiane link in the timetable below for more information and to buy tickets.

Bus Stop in Udon Thani

Bus services from Udon Thani to Vientiane depart from Udon Thani Bus Terminal 1.

Bus Stop in Vientiane

Bus services from Udon Thani to Vientiane terminate at Vientiane Khua Din Bus Station, also known as Vientiane Central Bus Station.

About Travel to Vientiane

Vientiane is the capital city of Laos. It’s also the only city in Laos which has over 100,000 permanent residents. Nonetheless, even with around 800,000 permanent residents, and the best facilities on offer anywhere in the country, Vientiane is a small city compared to major cities in neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. Nonetheless, it’s a city with its own distinctive character, and a unique history.

Travel Connections from Vientiane

Vientiane is the main transport hub in Laos. For travel to popular destinations in the north, particularly Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, we recommend taking one of the high speed train services operated by the Laos-China Railway Company. Travel by high speed train in Laos is a lot faster than travelling by bus or minivan:

• Vientiane to Vang Vieng by train: 52 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes
• Vientiane to Luang Prabang by train: 1 hour 46 minutes to 2 hours 42 minutes

For travel to other destinations in the north of Laos not connected to the new single line train network, we recommend that you alight from the train in Luang Prabang and continue your journey by bus or minivan:

• Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw by bus: 4 to 5 hours
• Luang Prabang to Xiangkhouang (Plain of Jars) by bus: 7 to 9 hours
• Luang Prabang to Luang Namtha by bus: 8 to 9 hours

Staying Overnight in Vientiane

Vientiane is, overall, one of the cheaper capital cities in South East Asia. although not the cheapest. The city has around 140 tourist hotels and guesthouses, about half of which are clustered in Vientiane’s ‘tourist zone’ which is located on and near the Quai Fa Ngum Road, just to the north of Chao Anouvong Park.

The cheapest tourist rooms available in Vientiane cost from $10 USD, rising to around $100 for a night in one of the city’s best hotels, such as the Amari or Hilton. Good standard 3 star accommodation in Vientiane costs in the $30 to $40 USD a night range.

Travellers staying close to the Quai Fa Ngum Road have lots of restaurants, and many cuisines, to choose from. There is also a night market in this area with lots of food stalls parked on the roads around the market area. This is a popular place for visitors to come and eat inexpensive local food whilst sat on the roadside on plastic chairs enjoying the lively atmosphere. The riverside bars located a short distance to the east of the Quai Fa Ngum Road are also popular places to visit in the evening.

Visitor Attractions in Vientiane

Many of the popular visitor attractions in Vientiane are located within easy walking distance of the Quai Fa Ngum Road, which is another reason why it’s a popular place for tourists to stay. There are also some interesting and lesser visited temples on or close to the Quai Fa Ngum Road such as Wat Ong Teu, Wat Mixai, and Chua Bang Long, which are worth visiting.

From Quai Fa Ngum Road it’s a short walk to the southern end of the Avenue Lane Xang. The Avenue Lane Xang is main street in Vientiane and it connects the Presidential Palace to the Patuxai Monument, which is an independence monument that bears striking similarities to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Other places to visit on, or near, the Avenue Lane Xang include Wat Si Sa Ket and That Dam stupa.

One of the attractions which is too far from Quai Fa Ngum Road to walk to is Pha That Luang, which is located about 5 km to the north east. Pha That Luang is arguably the most important temple in Laos. The main part of the temple, its golden 44 metre tall stupa, was built in the 1560s on top of an older stupa believed to contain bone fragments of the Lord Buddha. According to local legend these religious relics were brought to Pha That Luang during the reign of King Ashoka, who ruled over India from 268 to 232 BCE.