Thorn Tree travel forum

China to Laos by bus

Replies: 3 - Last Post: 07-Jan-2009 01:29 Last Post By: wanderingstraycat

jump to

Posted
05-Jan-2009 17:44
by: anicka

Posts:  70
Registered:  26/06/02

China to Laos by bus

As of Dec 08.

There is a daily direct bus from Kunming to Luang Prabang (24hrs sleeper, 5pm) which leaves from the train station bus station - not the main bus station but the older one on your right when you come out of the main train station. I didn't take this bus so I don't know how much it costs.

Alternatively you can take the bus to Mengla (12hrs, Y199), departures from both main and train station bus stations. Mine arrived at 7am which left plenty of time to have breakfast and get the next bus.

From Mengla there are direct buses to Udomxai (8:30am, Y36) and Luang Nam Tha (9am, Y36). The bus stops to let everyone do their thing at the border, and it took 5hrs to get to Udomxai. There is also a bus to Phongsali but when I crossed foreigners could not take this bus.

On the way back, I took the sleeper bus from Luang Prabang to Mengla. The bus leaves at 7am and arrives at 8am in Kunming the next day, dropping off in Mengla at 8pm. The bus picks up passengers in Udomxai but does not stop in Jinghong, so you must get off in Mengla and make your own way (incidentally the road is now good and Mengla-Jinghong is just 2.5hrs). If you are interested in this bus, there are many travel agents which can book it for a fee in Luang Prabang (was quoted 190,000kip to Mengla, 450,000kip to Kunming). When I went the bus wasn't even half filled, so it would have been easy to just rock up at the bus station and buy your ticket on the day. The bus leaves from a parking lot in the south of Luang Prabang (not the main southern long distance bus station) - the tuk tuk drivers can take you there if you say the magic word Kunming. There is also a Chinese-run guesthouse adjacent to the bus parking lot if you are not inclined to an early rise.

Posted
06-Jan-2009 14:30
by: Hanuman

Posts:  1,951
Registered:  16/01/01

1

Kop chai la lai, xie-xie, thanks for the great report, anicka!

Posted
07-Jan-2009 00:22
by: bmta

Posts:  8,941
Registered:  25/06/02

2

khop-chai. But the same-and even more has been posted here by someone else some monthes ago. Essentially the bus FROm LPr you descirbe is the return working VTE-Kmg. it also lvs from VTE the eve before-around 19.00. a large part of the daytime is spent for border controls, drivers rests, and shopping opportunity. Total cost Kmg0-VTE was (memory!) 400 or 500 CNY. Often VERY full-people take loads of luggage for which there is no space and there were even reported 'extra'' nonbedded people too. and not any whitey is able to withstand the chinese and their spitting and smoking those 36 hrs..........
also someone I met while in JgHong last yr told me that the international buses from MengLa are not that reliable-they often simply dont turn up, he said.

so you believe anything - on the news? on TV? in your guidebook? on this forum? good luck then - you'll need it!

Posted
07-Jan-2009 01:29
by: wanderingstraycat

Posts:  1,408
Registered:  09/05/07

3

Essentially the bus FROm LPr you descirbe is the return working VTE-Kmg.

According to Chinese news, the LPB-Kunming bus is a new (as of mid-2008) service run by Kunming Shilin Bus Co. in addition to the existing VTE-Kunming one that is run by Tongli Bus Co.

Laos transport timetables

Your Recent Threads

 
RSS Subscribe to all

Announcements

  1. Website speed - Facebook...

    Posted By: VenessaP -- 07-Oct-2009 16:30

 
ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Travel Interests

 

Asia: Destination information

We're talking pell-mell cities, jungle-twined temples and beaches that just clamour for a hammock. Yep, we're talking South-East Asia. Can't you just hear the tuk-tuk horns? more »

Map »

 
Thumb

South East Asia on a Shoestring

The original and the best, Lonely Planet's 'yellow bible' is your ticket to endless adventure in Southeast Asia. Want nonstop parties in 24-hour cities? ... buy it »

 
 

Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels and book online.