The closest border crossing to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, is at the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge in Nong Khai, Thailand. Nong Khai is a bustling small town with many hostel and hotel options to stay in before making the trek across the border to Vientiane. It is easy to take a taxi, use the Grab app, or find a bus from Nong Khai bus station to the bridge.
First things first – what you need to cross into Laos (this is specific to international tourists who are not from ASEAN countries):
- Passport (with a blank page as your visa sticker will take up a whole page)
- $40 USD (for Americans)
- Photo 3×2.5
1. Arrive at the Nong Khai Border
Highway 2, the main highways that runs northeast from Bangkok to Nong Khai ends it’s path here in Thailand at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. If you are taking a bus from Udon Thani to Vientiane, you will be pushed through all of the below steps with help from the bus. If you are crossing without transportation, these are the steps you should take.
Note: There are places to park your car along the road leading up to the bridge. There is also a 7-eleven to fill up on snacks and drinks before you cross.
2. Thailand Immigration
Walk down the outdoor hallway on the left of the road. You will arrive at the Thailand immigration windows. You need to show your passport and go through immigration. You may need to put your bags through a x-ray machine on your way out of the room.
3. Bus Tickets
Once you leave the room, you come out to a sitting area where you can buy the bus ticket to cross the bridge. It costs B35 per person. The bus will come right up to the side to pick up and wait a few minutes to fill up. There will be a person to take your whole ticket before you go up to the bus. Even if all the seats are full on the bus, you can stand in the aisle.
4. Cross on the Bus
Once the bus leaves, it is just a short ride across the bridge. Watch how the bus changes from driving on the left to driving on the right after you cross the bridge. The bus will stop right in front of the Laos immigration area. People leaving Laos will be waiting for the bus on the right. The entry immigration counter is on the right side.
5. Laos Immigration
You need to go up to Window 3 of the Visa On Arrival Unit and knock on the window for your visa forms. Then fill out the forms and make sure you have exactly what you need – passport, photos, money, and the two forms filled out.
Then go to Window 2 and wait in line to hand in all your items.
A couple notes: Make sure your bills are crisp to pay and you have extra bills if they deny your initial bills.
6. Visa Sticker Check
Proceed to wait around the corner in front of Window 4 for your returned passport. The immigration officer will take your photograph and hand you your passport. When that is finished, continue away from where the bus dropped you off and past several other immigration counters that are used for Thai and Lao citizens. You will need to show your new visa sticker in your passport at one last window before you step out into Laos.
7. Transport to Vientiane
Once you enter the border, you will be bombarded by transport options. You can also find sim card options there, as well as money exchange.
You have several different ways to get into Vientiane from here:
- You can barter with the people at the desk to get the best rate for a private car/minivan into the city. The least amount I have paid was 200,000 kip for this option. The signs posted said 400,000 kip.
- The public bus stop is on the right hand side of the parking lot next to the little convenience shops. The bus comes every once in a while and should cost about 18,000 kip per person (prices continually change, but is current as of February 2024). This is your cheapest option even for a family and is worth it if you are willing to wait. However, the hours of the bus are only within daily business hours, so you need to ask around to make sure the bus is coming sometime soon.
- You may find a rideshare songtaew. This is a songtaew that has each person pay a set amount and will fill with as many people as possible before they go. It is cheaper than a private car/minivan. Last time, we paid 20,000 kip per person. We found our way by going over to the convenience shops next to the bus stop where others were standing around.