How do you get from Bangkok to Vientiane? You have two good options: fly from Bangkok to Vientiane's Wattay International Airport, or take the overnight train from Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, which since July 2024 has run straight across the Mekong to Vientiane's Khamsavath station. Flying is fastest; the train is the easiest way to go overland, because it carries you over the border and deals with both immigration posts on the way.
This guide covers both routes, the older road and rail crossing at the Friendship Bridge, and the paperwork for Laos and for coming back into Thailand.
Option 1: fly to Wattay International Airport
The flight is the quickest way to make the trip. Thai Airways sells Bangkok to Vientiane flights on its own website, and Lao Airlines lists Bangkok Suvarnabhumi among its destinations. Fares change with dates and demand, so compare the airlines' own sites for your travel days.
Laos's arrival formalities at the airport are covered below. If your flight leaves from Suvarnabhumi, note that the airport sits just outside Bangkok's city limits; our guide to getting between Bangkok airport and the city covers the transfer in both directions.
Option 2: the train from Krung Thep Aphiwat
Trains to the Lao border leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, the large rail hub formerly known as Bang Sue Grand Station, in Bangkok's Chatuchak district. It is not the old Hua Lamphong station, so check your ticket before you set off. The terminal sits next to Bang Sue station on the MRT Blue Line; our guide to getting around Bangkok explains how the MRT works.
According to the rail travel reference Seat61, updated in June 2026, a direct Bangkok to Vientiane sleeper, train 133, started on July 19, 2024, and runs to Vientiane Khamsavath station, about 7 kilometers from downtown Vientiane. Before 2024, Thai trains stopped at Thanaleng, just across the border. There are also trains from Bangkok to Nong Khai, the Thai border town, with a short connecting train across the river to Vientiane. The State Railway of Thailand's own website could not be reached when we checked, so confirm current times and fares with the railway or an authorized ticket seller before you book.
What happens at the border on the train
On the direct train, the border is handled in two stops rather than at a road checkpoint. Seat61 describes the process as a Thai exit check on the platform at Nong Khai, after which you re-board for the crossing, and then Lao immigration on arrival at Vientiane's station. Keep your passport and Thai departure paperwork handy, and do not pack them in a bag you cannot reach from your seat or berth.
Option 3: by road over the Friendship Bridge
The road route crosses the Mekong on the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge between Nong Khai in Thailand and Thanaleng, on the outskirts of Vientiane. The UK government's advice lists the bridge among the checkpoints where Laos's digital immigration form applies. From Bangkok, the road journey is long, so most overland travelers prefer the train; if you want to go by bus, confirm the current service directly with the operator, as we could not verify a timetable from an official bus operator's site.
Paperwork for Laos
- Visa: the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says British visitors need a visa for Laos. You can apply online for a Lao e-visa, which the FCDO says is single-entry, accepted at major entry points and should be requested at least five days ahead, or get a single-entry visa on arrival at many entry points. Other nationalities should check their own government's advice and the Lao e-visa site.
- Length of stay: the FCDO says tourist visas are for 30 days from arrival, as of January 1, 2025.
- Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF): all foreign nationals must complete it online within three days before arrival and departure. The FCDO lists Wattay International Airport and the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I among the checkpoints where it replaces paper arrival cards. It does not replace a visa.
Coming back to Bangkok
Plan your return as carefully as the outward trip, because Thailand's own rules changed in September 2026. According to the FCDO, from September 15, 2026, visitors entering Thailand under the visa exemption scheme can stay up to 30 days for tourism, and visa-exempt entry is normally limited to two entries per calendar year. All foreign nationals must also complete Thailand's digital arrival card online, within three days before arriving, whether by air, land or sea. Our guide to how long you can stay in Bangkok covers the rules in more detail.
Which option to choose
- Short on time: fly.
- Want to see the country and save a hotel night: take the overnight train.
- Traveling on to more of Southeast Asia: see our guides to going from Bangkok to Vietnam and from Bangkok to Cambodia.
If you are spending a night in Bangkok before or after the trip, browse our Bangkok hotel listings.
Sources: Thai Airways: Bangkok to Vientiane, Lao Airlines, Seat61: trains to Laos, UK FCDO Laos entry requirements, Lao e-visa, UK FCDO Thailand entry requirements, station and bridge locations from Google Maps. Checked September 26, 2026.
Yes. According to Seat61, a direct sleeper train (train 133 northbound, 134 southbound) has run between Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal and Vientiane Khamsavath station since July 19, 2024. Confirm current times with the State Railway of Thailand before booking.
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, formerly Bang Sue Grand Station, in Chatuchak district. It is not Hua Lamphong.
The UK FCDO says British visitors need one. You can apply for a single-entry e-visa online at least five days ahead, or get a single-entry visa on arrival at many entry points. Tourist visas are for 30 days from arrival. Other nationalities should check their own government's advice.
An online form (LDIF) that all foreign nationals must complete within three days before arriving in Laos and within three days before leaving. The FCDO says it applies at Wattay International Airport, Luang Prabang and Pakse airports and the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I, where it replaces paper arrival and departure cards. It does not replace a visa.
Yes. Thai Airways sells Bangkok to Vientiane flights on its website, and Lao Airlines lists Bangkok Suvarnabhumi among its destinations. Flights land at Wattay International Airport.
According to the FCDO, all foreign nationals must complete Thailand's digital arrival card online within three days before arrival, by air, land or sea. From September 15, 2026, visa-exempt tourist entry allows stays of up to 30 days and is normally limited to two entries per calendar year, so check your own entry history and eligibility before a return trip.
