Very modern fast train and ease of booking process - Booking process and standard of train travel. Very efficiently run and excellent staff on hand to ensure embarkation and disembarkation is smooth

Perfect connection - High Speed Train (built by China). New trains, well equipped and on time. You don't have to be at the train station an hour beforehand!! Unfortunately you don't see much on the route from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang as 90% of the time you drive in tunnels.

Everything work and excellent service! - Everything work and excellent service! Easy to pay online with credit card. Nice to contact me about my information. Get the ticket by email

Worth it - Good quick train return saves you time abd hassel buy using the app loafs of people had issues with independent agents

Now you know - full details for getting train In laos like local - Have read so much misinformation online so here is our advice: 1. You can buy the tickets for the train yourself on the Lao app - this is easy and efficient. You only need to have a laos number so just get a sim for about $1 and you’re perfect. The app is clear and in English. Trains become available 3-4 days in advance so book tickets early as they book up quickly. Prices are as is at the station. We paid around 116k for 2nd class seat vang vieng to Luang Prabang. Ignore anyone who tells you this is not possible for foreigners to buy these tickets on the app. You do not need an agent or anyone else to do all this for you. You do not need to input addresses or anything difficult only passport details. You can only use a Visa card to pay there is no Mastercard availability to pay on the app. You can enter the train station directly if you purchase the ticket on the app as you have a QR code which you can go straight through with - you don’t need to exchange for a paper ticket. Seats are allocated when you purchase - I booked as a couple and we ended up sat nearby but not together. It didn’t matter really it was less than an hour journey. 2. Regarding the security checks, many other people saying all kinds of scaremongering - security only removing AEROSOLS so just throw them before you arrive they will be confiscated. Obviously penknives no - go ahead and post those ahead - it’s easy. Everything else was fine to take even if it had a flammable symbol on: perfume, body sprays, contact lens solutions, sun creams, all liquids, creams, mosquito repellent, bottles over 100ml. I was worried from previous posters they would take this but this was NOT TRUE. Also I have nail clippers and small scissors and these were fine. 3. The trains were clean and comfortable. Everything was well organised, 10 mins before train arrived they call you up in Chinese, English and Lao to scan tickets, walk onto platform. Security has you line up behind a yellow line. Train arrives and everyone gets on/off smoothly. Everyone has allocated seat so it’s easy to sit down there is no pushing and shoving to be worried about. There is lots of space to sit and large overhead shelves to put handluggage. Larger luggage is left piled up neatly by the doors. There are clean toilets at all carriages, All seats had charging ports and tray tables. The trains run exactly on time and were quiet and peaceful with nice views. A little trolley wheels down with snacks midway if you want. Lots of staff presence which is reassuring. 4. Getting a tuktuk from vang vieng to the train station cost 30k each - it is very close about 10 min drive. This is a standard price. Getting from train station in Luang Prabang cost 40k for shared minibus that drops you at hotel from the train station. Come out the station, walk across the road, go down the steps and look on your right - there is a sign

Train from Vang Vien to Luang Prabang - Having read a few negative reviews which implied we might lose deodorants, mosquito repellent etc due to the stringent security at the station we were pleasantly surprised that nothing was confiscated. The only notices we saw told us that bringing vapes and flammable liquids in quantities over 120ml was forbidden. You don't have to present your liquids separately as you do with hand luggage at an airport. We went through security with no problem, although we did see some young Western backpackers having their bags searched. Boarding was smooth, signage and announcements were clear so it was very easy to find our carriage and seats. There isn't enough space for luggage but the train attendants are very helpful in rationalising the space available, so any problems are soon sorted. You can get from the station to your hotel in the town in a shared minibus, 40,000 kip per person, the drivers will find you at the station exit. On the way out of the station we saw tuktuks parked up outside the station gate, so that is another option. I would recommend the train, we got our ticket through our hotel in Vang Vien.

Train in Laos - Mixed feelings…… Punctuality, cleanliness, brand new train. Absolutely perfect All the services around that……. absolutely horrible. Examples: You cannot reserve more than 3 days in advance. And some dates fill up quickly. Which can become a nightmare if you have hotel reservations at different places. Also, if you go at the ticket office in town to make a reservation 3 days in advance, they will take your reservation , but you have to come back the next day to pick up the actual tickets. Ridiculous. Also, you cannot reserve on line, unless you have a phone number from Laos. Which we did not have. Finally, they accept cash only. No credit card. Not very tourist friendly.

Be careful what you take on board. - The security process was ludicrous more akin to an international flight than a domestic rail tri. I had a small Swiss army knife, can of deodorant and an expensive bottle of of japanese whiskey ( of which I had one glass) "confiscated, for the safety of those onboard". A bit of a joke which would have been more believable if the bottle of whiskey had followed the knife and deodorant straight into the rubbish bin. However it was put aside, no doubt for a little boost to their morning tea/lunch break or after work party. Other friends managed to get similar items through so if you're considering doing it make them hard to find. I would have preferred to give the bottle to the taxi driver outside if I'd known their plans. The trip was nice enough and the train tidy.

They confiscated my swiss army knife - The ridiculously officious security staff confiscated my swiss army knife. The next guy through had a set of golf clubs which were apparently completely safe. We were in the station 30 minutes and my nice, shiny, new knife was the only thing we saw get confiscated!!!!

Take care when you book tickets via viator. It's theft!!! - I paid 125 EUR and couldn't get my tickets. They were not available when I flagged the problem. It's theft !!!!