Huay Xai - Jinghong bus schedules

If you're not in a rush to get there you might consider taking the bus from Huay Xay to Luang Namtha, spend a day or two there and then take the bus from there to Jinghong. I've seen the direct Jinghong bus leave from Luang Namtha a couple times and think it goes around 08:00 - 09:00 or so but Hobo Maps has that schedule too I think. The mid size bus looked nice and didn't seem crowded. Luang Namtha is a nice town to chill out in.

Thanks Telmi,
If I were not in rush, I wouldn't need to know the exact timetables. I need to get to Kunming in 3-4 days and part of this will be a weekend. So, will need to spend time in Luang Namtha another time. KJ

Hi,

I was in Jinghong in September, and I asked at both bus stations about all buses heading into Laos (I speak Chinese). The only bus they told me about was the daily bus to Luang Namtha. I've never heard of a direct Jinghong-Huai Xay bus, and I doubt it exists. Besides anything else, my bus from Jinghong to Luang Namtha was more than half empty: there simply aren't enough passengers for an extra bus.

HOWEVER, whenever the new bridge at Huai Xay is built, this may well change, and they may even start running direct buses from Jinghong to Thailand.

In October 2012 though, I'm fairly sure there were no Huai Xay-Jinghong buses operating. The Luang Namtha-Jinghong bus leaves every day, I think at about 10:30AM. It takes something like 7-8 hours, depending on how long it takes at the border. There are 3 or 4 buses a day from Huai Xay to Luang Namtha. If you want to catch the Huai Xay-Jinghong, you'll probably have to spend the night in Luang Namtha. Otherwise, you could probably make it from Huai Xay-Jinghong in a day using a series of intermediate buses (and you could almost certainly make it as far as Mengla), but it would be a bit inconvenient.

The only direct bus I've heard from Kunming is one which goes to Luang Prabang. I think it travels once a week, but I'm not certain of the timings. Jinghong-Kunming is about 8-9 hours on a very modern freeway.

I too thouight the bus was from Luam Namtha in the morning to Kumming and also Jinghong (i've done both the other way around) personally I would get to border ie shared minivan Houyxai to Luam Namtha bus station and there to Boten boreder so many Chinese sleeper buses pass through in the afternoon from Luam Phrabang and Oudamsai I feel sure you will get a seat/ bed on one or from Mengla the other side of border

OP, do you have any reason for stopping at Jinghong ?---if not, ---

Judging from OP's posts, i think your destination is not Jinghong but Kunming so you need not to stop at Jinghong.for going to Kunming.

Both of border town "Mohan" in China side and the second big city in Xishuangbanna "Mengla" have sleeper buses to Kunming(from Mohan--1-2 sleepers, from Mengla --4-5 sleepers every day ) and if you reach to Mohan or Mengla before evening, you can take a sleeper bus and can arrive kunming next morning and you have enough time for ①②③ if you leave Huayxai in the morning so you never need to worry about practical bus operation and time schedule in each section so tightly.

①Huayxai→Luang Nam Tha---take a local bus or shared minivan in the morning
②Luang Nam Tha→border---take a shared minivan or a Tuktuk
-----------------------------------------
in the case you take a sleeper bus from Mengla(new bus stationin Mengla locates at new town now)
③border(Mohan bus station)→Mengla new bus station ---take a local bus

Thanks to all for these helpful comments. As I have up to 4 days to get from Chiangmai to Kunming, I'll have some flexibility to stop-over as necessary. That's the reason, I'd like to spend a night or two in Jinghong or Luang Namtha, for example. Never been in either place, but several times in Kunming. Just need to meet someone in Kunming, and catch a northbound train a few days later. Will report back on the bus Lao schedules after I reach China towards the end of May.

There is a direct Huay Xai - Kunming bus operating now. It also stops over in Jinghong and Luang Nam Tha along the way otherwise there are direct services to Jinghong too. I saw it with my own eyes, not sure about the schedule though as I was driving a car so wasn't interested in it. Did however notice a number of China-Lao services that I didn't previously know about: For example, Mengla-Vientiane. Try the bus station in town as they would have schedules and signs where buses stop, most probably also in Chinese in addition to English and Lao (as is the case in Udomsai).

Thanks symphoniline! Will check this out once I get to Huay Xai or may just book a guesthouse ahead of time and ask them for some info.

I was looking for price information regarding the bus from Huay Xai to Jinghong.
As a public service for future readers, There has been a bus going from HX to JH. I have taken it twice in 2010 and once in 2011. I suspect that given the popularity of Chinese traveling between China and Thailand, it is still running. At least, I hope so since I want to take it next week.

KimJK,
did you get the bus to Jinghong?
What time did it leave?
How much was it?
Did you get the ticket in he morning at the bus station?

Edited by: vagabond48