Laos Train Tickets
The Laos–China Railway runs the length of the country, from the Chinese border at Boten to Vientiane, with Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng in between. C trains do the full run in a little over three hours; K trains take about twice as long for roughly half the fare.
Popular Routes
Four routes cover the line — each opens its own timetable and fare page.
The Laos–China Railway: what to expect
Two train types, three seat classes, and a booking window much shorter than anywhere else we sell.
The line opened in December 2021 and is operated by the Laos–China Railway Company. It runs from Boten on the Chinese border, through Muang Xay, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, to Vientiane. Nine stations take passengers.
| Class | What you get |
|---|---|
| Second class | Assigned seat, air-conditioned — the standard choice |
| First class | Wider seat in a smaller carriage |
| Business class | The most space on board |
The 3-day window is the one thing to plan around. If your date is further out, send the request anyway — we hold it and book at release.
Two train types share the line. C trains are air-conditioned electric units with assigned seats; K trains are locomotive-hauled, have hard seats and more stops, and take nearly twice as long for about half the fare.
C trains sell three classes: second, first and business. There are no sleepers on this line — the longest run is under three hours, so none is needed.
We act as an agent and quote per train and per class. Where a fare has not been verified we ask the operator instead of guessing, so some routes show a price on request.
How booking a Lao train works
No payment is taken when you submit a request — we confirm seats first, then email a payment link.
Send us your route, date and passport details.
We check seat availability with the operator and confirm by email within 12 hours.
Pay the secure link we email — we ticket and send your e-ticket by email.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to book train tickets online
Why can I only book 3 days ahead?
That is the operator's rule for domestic Lao sectors — sales open three days before departure. It is far shorter than Thailand (about 60 days) or Korea (about 30). We book at release for the date you give us.
How long does Vientiane to Luang Prabang take?
About 1 hour 46 minutes on the fastest C train, and up to 2 hours 44 minutes on slower services. Each route page lists the actual time for every departure.
Are there sleepers on Lao trains?
No. The line is short enough that every train is seated — second, first and business class. For overnight rail travel you would need Thailand or China.