With the high-speed train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang

The fastest connection through the north of Laos is the high-speed train from Vientiane to Kunming in China. The train is state-of-the-art and covers the distance from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, which takes a whole day by bus on terrible roads, in less than two and a half hours. However, one has to factor in the trip to and from the train station, as the stations are each located 10 kilometers outside the cities.

The security check at the entrance of the train station, which we find rather incomprehensible, is chaotic; the luggage falls off the conveyor belt behind the scanner, and we consider ourselves lucky to have lost nothing. However, once you have passed through the control, you find yourself in a huge waiting hall, and boarding and disembarking are orderly. The train is comfortable and reaches speeds of up to 160 km/h, comparable to an ICE. What stands out, however, is the punctuality: both departure and arrival occur on the minute!