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Traveling with the LCR train in Laos | Everything you need to know

Train travel is in 2021 Laos. made possible by LCR, the Laos-China Railway. Trains run between the town Boats in the north of Laos (on the Chinese border), to the capital Vientiane in the south. This has made traveling around the country easier. It is no longer necessary to sit in a van for hours as you weave along mountain roads. For example, you can travel within the hour from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng , instead of eight hours by bus. Would you like to know more about traveling by train in Laos? Then read this article.

Our advice for traveling to Laos
Tour Laos with building blocks

Ready-made or adapt them yourself: 'a day longer here, a day shorter there'. With flexible Laos tours, all the puzzle work has been taken care of and the best travel routes have already been mapped out for you.

Is your ideal tour not listed? Then you can of course put together your individual tour to Laos using building blocks.

Pros:
  • Experience the real Asia
  • Beautiful landscapes
  • Undiscovered pearl
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What are the stops on the train?

In Laos

The express train stops in the towns (from north to south) of Boten, Na Teuy, Muang Xai, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane. There is another slow train, which also stops in the places Na Moh, Muang Nga, Kasi, Phong Hong.

To China

It is possible to travel into China from Laos by train. From Boten in Laos, the train takes you to Mohan in China in just 10 to 15 minutes. However, this train only runs once a day.

The train connections in China are very good and are improving rapidly. It is possible to travel from Laos by train to major cities such as Hong Kong even Beijing to travel in the foreseeable future.

One of the Chinese LCR trains
One of the Chinese LCR trains

To Thailand

You cannot travel into Thailand with the LCR. It is possible to get close to the Thai border, near Vientiane. Nong Khai in Thailand is then close. From here it is possible to travel with Thai Railway to, for example Bangkok. You will therefore have to use a different means of transport between Vientiane and Nong Khai.

Also read: Itinerary Laos 2 to 4 weeks | Hints and Highlights

Where do you buy the train tickets?

Tickets for LCR are released for sale three days before departure. Be quick, because they are selling out quickly from this moment on.

Via the official app

The official LCR app works very easily. The app is called LCR ticket (click here for Google Play and here for Apple Store). Here you can see what time the trains leave and which tickets are still available. You also pay for the tickets in the app and can have the tickets scanned at the train station. In short, you can arrange everything here.

You will have to create an account for this, including entering your passport details. Payment in the app is currently only possible (in 2024) with Unionpay, Wechat, Alipay, BCEL One and VISA. Most Dutch people probably only know VISA and Unionpay. If you have a MasterCard credit card, you do not (currently) have the option to purchase your tickets via the app. Below you can see some screenshots of the app.

Also read: Which (prepaid) credit card is best to travel with? And why?

With an intermediary

If you are in Laos, there are many people who can help you purchase the tickets. Hotels and tour operators offer it. They will charge a fee for this. Our experience is that this additional fee is approximately 50.000 Laotian kip (about 2,20 euros) per ticket.

How much do the tickets cost?

There are trains in which first class and second class places (seats) are available and there are trains with seats and beds. The cheapest option is a seat on a train that also has beds. Obviously you pay more for a first class seat or a bed. Some trains also have 'business class', which is the most expensive option.

Whichever option you choose, the train tickets are not expensive. The longest route (from Boten to Vientiane or vice versa) is a train journey of 3 hours by express train and 5 hours by slow train. For this trip, prices are between 16 and 43 euros (with the exception of 72 euros for business class) for a single journey.

For a one-way trip between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, which takes about 50 minutes on the train, you pay between 5 and 13 euros (with the exception of 22 euros for business class) for a single trip.

Train stations

The stations are very modern and spacious. Facilities such as toilets, water and shops are available. Upon entry, travelers and their luggage are checked, just like at an airport. It is advised to arrive well in advance, approximately one hour before departure.

LCR train station Luang Prabang

When the train approaches, tickets are checked and travelers are given access to the platform. Your ticket indicates which part of the station you need to stand in to enter the correct compartment. It's all very controlled – there are many employees who keep the crowd in line with whistles and shouts. The tickets will be checked again upon arrival at your destination – so if you have a printed version, don't throw it away!

The train ride

Our experience

The trains were on time. There were good and strict inspections. Not only at the train station, also on the train. The trains and stations are clean and you have the opportunity to buy some food and drinks. The seats on the train are comfortable and each seat has a socket so you can charge any devices.

Inside the LCR train
Inside the LCR train

It is possible to look outside, but to be honest there is not much to see, because you often go through tunnels. To be precise, China has built 167 bridges and 75 tunnels for this train!

Other people's experiences

There are people who complain about the strictness of LCR employees. For example, you are not allowed to take sprays (e.g. deodorant) and sharp objects on the train. These are confiscated. We also heard that someone had difficulties because she no longer had a ticket when she got off the train. She had thrown it away after boarding. If you do not have an app but a paper ticket, do not throw it away.

Conclusion

We found it a pleasant experience and can recommend it to everyone. It's certainly better than a bus trip. It saves you a lot of time and makes traveling much more comfortable. It took some time to figure out how train travel worked, but we hope this article makes it a little clearer for all world travelers!

Our advice for traveling to Laos
Tour Laos with building blocks

Ready-made or adapt them yourself: 'a day longer here, a day shorter there'. With flexible Laos tours, all the puzzle work has been taken care of and the best travel routes have already been mapped out for you.

Is your ideal tour not listed? Then you can of course put together your individual tour to Laos using building blocks.

Pros:
  • Experience the real Asia
  • Beautiful landscapes
  • Undiscovered pearl
  • Very affordable
View Rickshaw offer View 333Travel offer
By using these affiliate links you support us at no extra cost. Thank you!

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Malou Thomassen

From an early age I have been fascinated by distant travels and other cultures. I've seen many countries, but I'm certainly not done! At this age (32) I often think about how to further organize my life. When I travel, I quickly let go of that and can fully enjoy the here and now!

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