New Thailand-Laos Bus Routes to Launch, Linking Airports and High-Speed Rail

[reader]

From Pattaya News

On September 10th, 2024, Mr. Atthawit Rakjamroon, the Acting Managing Director of the Thai Transport Company Limited, announced the company’s participation in a recent Thai-Lao road transport meeting. 

The discussions, held on September 4th-5th by the Thai Department of Land Transport and the Lao Department of Transport, focused on enhancing road transport cooperation between Thailand and Laos, including launching new tourism routes linking airports with high-speed rail services.

In alignment with the policy of Thai Deputy Transport Minister Surapong Piyachote, Transport Company Limited plans to reopen all international bus routes and introduce new routes to connect with airports and high-speed rails. 

• A new bus route from Udon Thani to Vang Vieng, via Udon Thani International Airport and Nong Khai, will launch in early November 2024. This route aims to facilitate seamless travel between the airport and the Lao-China high-speed railway, which has been temporarily suspended for upgrades.
• Studies are underway for five additional routes, including Chiang Mai to Boten,
•  Bangkok to Savannakhet,
•  Pattaya to Pakse, Pattaya to Vientiane, and Pattaya to Savannakhet, to offer more travel options between the two countries.
• The Transport Company will enhance ticket sales for all international routes through online platforms and E-Ticket systems. Currently, nine international routes operate between Thailand and Laos, with 92 daily trips serving around 3,000 passengers per day.
• The Bangkok-Pakse route will see an upgrade from standard air-conditioned buses to premium services, maintaining two daily trips.
• The Mukdahan-Savannakhet route will add three more buses, increasing the daily service from 13 to 17 trips.
• The Transport Company will increase staffing at the Nong Khai Immigration checkpoint on the Nong Khai-Vientiane route to improve passenger processing.

[vinapu]

all good news above with exception of one :

" facilitate seamless travel between the airport and the Lao-China high-speed railway, which has been temporarily suspended for upgrades "

WTF , line just opened few years ago and needs upgrades warranting closing whole line? Or I don't understand that correctly ?

If correct I smell some Chinese blackmail for non-payment or something.

 

[Moses]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

which has been temporarily suspended for upgrades

Barry again doesn't check facts? 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g295415-d25082287-Reviews-Train_ticket_in_Laos-Luang_Prabang_Luang_Prabang_Province.html

There are a lot of reviews from many travelers about travels by LCR in Laos, latest from August 2024.

And TripAdvisor itself sells tickets via Viator.

 

Tickets with Chinese border crossing may be booked online only via LCR app, registered on Thai, Chinese or Lao phone number, rest nationalities may buy them only on railway stations. 

[reader]

You’re a good researcher, Moses. But Barry was a British diplomat and i consider them the best in their business so I cut them a lot of slack.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Moses said:

Barry again doesn't check facts? 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g295415-d25082287-Reviews-Train_ticket_in_Laos-Luang_Prabang_Luang_Prabang_Province.html

There are a lot of reviews from many travelers about travels by LCR in Laos, latest from August 2024.

And TripAdvisor itself sells tickets via Viator.

 

Tickets with Chinese border crossing may be booked online only via LCR app, registered on Thai, Chinese or Lao phone number, rest nationalities may buy them only on railway stations. 

so if we have Thai SIM card we can upload LCR app and book online I guess ? 

When I was there back in 2022 I found process of obtaining ticket very tedious and resorted to use travel office help for a fee of course

[Moses]

1 hour ago, vinapu said:

so if we have Thai SIM card we can upload LCR app and book online I guess ?

Looks like TripAdvisor sells online without Thai numbers within Laos. 

Instructions around internet say what LCR app exclusively needs only for to buy online tickets for crossing border with China. But I can't confirm or deny since I haven't it on my phone.

[Moses]

3 hours ago, reader said:

a British diplomat and i consider them the best in their business

Yeah, British diplomats are best after CIA in distribution fake news and gossips (I'm telling it without irony).

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Moses said:

Yeah, British diplomats are best after CIA in distribution fake news and gossips (I'm telling it without irony).

yes, thanks God for Russia Today and Komsomolskaya Pravda