Laos’ capital city of Vientiane is a bit of a mystery to travelers, as it gets so few tourists. Is it easy to get around? What are the best options for families? These are definitely stress-filled questions that we had about transportation in Vientiane when we first started visiting from northeast Thailand.
After many trips across the border to spend time exploring Vientiane, we can share all the ins and outs with you that we’ve learned about public transportation in Vientiane.
Renting a Car vs. Public Transportation in Vientiane – Which Should I Choose?
Our family discourages the use of rental cars within Vientiane for several reasons:
- Vientiane is a small city and easily walkable. When a destination is too far away to walk, there is an abundance of public transportation options to choose from. With the ease of public transportation, we feel having a vehicle is not necessary.
- All transportation in Vientiane is quite cheap compared to international standards. A taxi in Bangkok would cost at least double what you would pay for a taxi in Vientiane going the same distance. And taxis in Bangkok are very reasonable.
- The road infrastructure is still developing. Many roads are not paved. You may find yourself suddenly on roads that are too narrow for two-lane traffic.
Different Public Transportation Types in Vientiane
Local Public Bus
The local public buses are new, green donated buses from Japan and have a set route around Vientiane proper. You will see the buses labeled with their route number.
They have a set price per ride (from what I’ve heard from locals the price has been continually changing in the years post-covid, so ask around for the current rate). In our experience, the price has always been less than USD$1. Pay in cash to the driver.
You will see the bus stops around Vientiane. At each bus stop there is a route map. So you can see which bus number goes where. In a small city like Vientiane, the map isn’t too elaborate. You just need to know where your destination is and be familiar with some of the major landmarks around Vientiane.
The bus routes have set working hours. If you are planning on using a bus in the evening, I would ask a local when the bus stops running for the day.
The public bus will by far be your cheapest method of transportation in Vientiane. If you have the time to figure it out, the experience will be worth it. Locals are incredibly helpful, so don’t feel bad asking questions and getting help!
Tuktuks
Tuktuks are a very popular way to travel around Vientiane. They congregate in certain areas waiting for passengers. This may be on a corner of a street or in front of a shopping center. You don’t need to walk far to find an empty one ready to take you!
They are all very ready to bargain with you! If they know you are a tourist, they will charge very high prices. Use the tips at the bottom of this post to save yourself some cash!
Tuktuks are one option of transportation type in the Kokok app. This is a ride-hailing app for Laos that I outline more below. Out of the different transportation types on Kokkok, tuktuks will be the cheapest option. It will not be as cheap as the local bus, but with the app it is closer to the price a local would pay for a tuktuk ride.
There are also EV tuktuks, which are electronic tuktuks. A much quieter drive around town, but more expensive.
Family Tip - A tuktuk ride is SO much fun for kids. It’s like an attraction in itself. We have been able to fit 7 people into a tuktuk including our small children and it was such fun!
Taxi / Minivan
Taxis and minivans will be the most expensive way to travel around the city, but still fairly cheap for international standards of travel in capital cities. You can hail them on the street or find a congregation of them outside of the malls. They are in abundance throughout the city.
The only time we experienced difficulty finding a taxi was at a busy shopping center on a Sunday afternoon in pouring rain.
Once again, we highly recommend the Kokkok app for ease of paying the cheapest price for a taxi or minivan. Having a set price when the taxi shows up to pick you up can ease a lot of the hassle of bartering for a fair price.
Using the Kokkok App for Transportation in Vientiane
Downloading the Kokkok app will save you a lot of stress when you are visiting Vientiane because it will give you a reference point for pricing of transportation whether you end up using the app to get your ride or not. Let me explain more:
When you open the Kokkok app, there are three choices of transportation options – Tuktuk, Sedan, and SUV. The tuktuk price is the cheapest, followed by Sedan, then SUV. You must select the type of transportation you are looking to book for that ride
Enter your destination and the price will be set for you. The driver should expect that price in cash when you exit the vehicle at the end of the ride.
If the app doesn’t find a driver available to take you in a few minutes of your booking, the app will cancel your ride and you will need to request a driver again.
You may need to decide if a larger vehicle is worth the price if no drivers are found for the type of vehicle you requested. You will need to start over and change your vehicle type before entering in your destination once again.
Like we said before, you can go through the steps of searching for the price of your destination, even if you don’t book. We like this option, because if a tuktuk is available right in front of us, we don’t need to book on the app and wait. We just tell the tuktuk driver in front of us what price we would like for the trip.
Tips to Feel Prepared:
- Know your conversion rate
Always have a set amount in your head to help you exchange quickly. Since we know Thai baht the best, we convert every 20,000 kip into 35 baht (conversion rate as of 2024). That way when we are told a price for bartering, we can do the multiplication quickly. This is especially helpful when working with kip, a currency that always has a thousand added to the end. The kip fluctuates frequently so be sure to know what the current exchange rate is. We like having the XE Exchange App.
- Know your distance
Be aware of how far you are traveling. If it is walkable, then you should be paying very little for your trip.
- Know a typical amount paid (Do your research!)
For the public bus, I would research by asking at the central bus terminal or by asking a local at a bus stop.
For the tuktuk or taxi options, I would check the Kokkok app and find out the price given on there before going to barter with the transport right in front of you.
- Know the amount you are willing to pay based off the type of day you are having.
If you are time crunched or your toddler is screaming, sometimes it’s just worth it to pay extra to get to your destination faster. After you have done your research and know the lowest price, then set yourself up for how much you are willing to go up to in the bargaining process.
- Don’t pay in Thai Baht.
You may find drivers asking you to pay in Thai Baht. The price being asked in Thai Baht will always be significantly higher. Try to pay in Lao kip for the lowest price.
If you do not have the cash in Lao kip, it can be useful that they also do take the Thai Baht. They like getting the Thai Baht because it is a stronger currency and subject to less change.
Final Thoughts
Visting Vientiane is a wonderful cultural experience, and public transportation in Vientiane shouldn’t have to stress you out! Whether you end up taking the public bus, tuktuks, or taxis, you will be getting to see what life in Vientiane is like.
We have enjoyed a number of kid activities across the city that we recommend exploring. The city is definitely worth visiting and immersing your family in daily Lao culture and life.