morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

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JoeThrows
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » August 4, 2014, 11:23 am

is there an aircon morning bus that can get me to the thai embassy in time to apply for my visa on the same day? window closes at 11:30



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BobHelm
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by BobHelm » August 4, 2014, 11:30 am

Not quite as easy as that Joe...
If you want a straight through bus from the bus station then you need a Laos visa in order to use...

The mini buses that start from outside the Complex to The Bridge start at 6.30 am I believe, but are not air conditioned.
I believe that the Bridge 'opens for normal business' at 8am..

It should be possible to make to to the Embassy in time but that all depends on the queues at the Laos side & how quick they process you.

A taxi from the Laos side to the Embassy is 350 baht & there are plenty of them waiting to do business...

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dezzer
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by dezzer » August 4, 2014, 11:44 am

What is the cost of the fare to Nong Khai using the mini bus from outside the plaza does anyone know?
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » August 4, 2014, 12:02 pm

BobHelm wrote:Not quite as easy as that Joe...
If you want a straight through bus from the bus station then you need a Laos visa in order to use...

A taxi from the Laos side to the Embassy is 350 baht & there are plenty of them waiting to do business...
it never is Bob, it never is...

350thb seems a bit excessive. i was up there a few months back and took a minibus from the embassy to the bridge for 100 but that was obviously more passengers. looks like i need to find my own way to the bridge by 8am to have any chance of handing in paperwork same day.

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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » August 4, 2014, 12:12 pm

anyone know what the overnight car parking situation is at the bridge?

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BobHelm
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Post by BobHelm » August 4, 2014, 12:18 pm

Yes, just go through the 'gap' in the shop houses on the right as you approach the Bridge.
To the right is the open area car parking but straight on is the undercover, enclosed, overnight parking.

Not sure how much it is to use now, sorry, but it used to be reasonably priced & secure..

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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » August 4, 2014, 12:25 pm

great thanks Bob. i think i know the place, right next to the 7-11 and a couple of bus companies and i think you have to walk past the overnight parking to get to the toilets.

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BobHelm
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by BobHelm » August 4, 2014, 12:31 pm

That's it Joe.
Not much of a walk from there to the bridge...
I understand that you will be 'offered' a taxi service to Vientiane from around that area as well.
I have never used & I think it is pretty expensive from the numbers that they have thrown at a, disinterested, me..
It is certainly the lazy way to do it, if money no object... :D

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BobHelm
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by BobHelm » August 4, 2014, 12:39 pm

dezzer wrote:What is the cost of the fare to Nong Khai using the mini bus from outside the plaza does anyone know?
Sorry I can't remember dezzer.
Less than 100 baht for certain, but an exact figure would be guesswork on my part - the price used to be clearly listed when they had the desks outside the Complex. Not sure now that they have an actual booth there...

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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » August 4, 2014, 12:42 pm

BobHelm wrote:That's it Joe.
Not much of a walk from there to the bridge...
I understand that you will be 'offered' a taxi service to Vientiane from around that area as well.
I have never used & I think it is pretty expensive from the numbers that they have thrown at a, disinterested, me..
It is certainly the lazy way to do it, if money no object... :D
well if that's the only thing i'm offered on that short walk over to the bridge consider me a happy man.

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dezzer
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by dezzer » August 4, 2014, 2:38 pm

Thanks for the info Bob much appreciated, regards Dezzer.
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maaka
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by maaka » August 4, 2014, 3:14 pm

take it from me, dont try walking over the bridge unless you have a shaved head, bare feet, and are wearing an orange cafftan..

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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by Sport » August 4, 2014, 4:44 pm

There is now a proper booth set up on the corner of the little entertainment area opposite Central Plaza, nearly opposite the front doors of CP. Single journey to the bridge was 50B.

About 200 metres on the left approaching Thai Immi at the bridge, you will see a car park at the end of some double storey shop houses. Drive in the entrance and they show you where to park, most of the time undercover. Cost was per veh, 100B overnight.

Tue, Wed and Thu are the best days I found to enter Laos, not many tourists enter Laos those days as they normally enter the country for visas on Mondays, just check for public holidays in Thai and Laos, the embassy may be closed. Taxi mini van outside Laos Immi is about 250-300b to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane. Finally take a fair amount of small Thai money, 20b, 100b and a few 500s. You may find it easier to use Thai money in Laos than Laos money, eg 1 TB is about 270 Laos Kip, remember the Italian lire or Jap yen....oooooh those numbers.

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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » August 4, 2014, 5:14 pm

thanks for the info, Sport. so this means there are overnight parking lots on both left and right sides approaching the bridge? laos visa on arrival still 30usd?

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Post by Sport » August 4, 2014, 6:17 pm

Joe, I have only used the one on the left approaching Thai Immi, do not know about the one on the right. USD30 is for Aussies and I think US passport holders are the same. As for other countries I do not know the price...sorry. Oh yeah Nederlangers are US35.

Pub hols, weekends and after 4pm its another US1...overtime rates. Just check all the entry and exit stamps in your passport, sometimes they forget the stamp and you will pay dearly if they catch you without the proper stamps.

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Balthasar G.
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by Balthasar G. » December 5, 2014, 7:19 pm

Has anyone taken a taxi from Friendship Bridge to Vientiane recently? Is the fare still B350?
I hope I die in my sleep like my grand dad did, not screaming like his passengers

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Re: morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by JoeThrows » December 5, 2014, 7:25 pm

Songthaew to the Thai embassy 300thb for a one passenger ride, less for each addl pax

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BobHelm
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by BobHelm » December 6, 2014, 5:42 am

Went middle of November.
Wanted 400 for taxi, got it for 300 & gave him a 50 tip when we arrived after a safe & pleasant drive.
It was an aircon minivan.

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Balthasar G.
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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by Balthasar G. » December 6, 2014, 8:18 am

That sounds more realistic than the B300 for a songthaew.
B300 is what I paid for a mini van in May, but then I read in this thread in August that the going rate was B350.
I hope I die in my sleep like my grand dad did, not screaming like his passengers

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morning bus to nong khai/vientiane?

Post by socksy » July 2, 2015, 7:35 am

I travelled on the Udon to Nong Khai and return on the mini van with junior last Saturday from outside Central Plaza. On nearing Nong Khai instead of going right towards the bus station the driver turned left. He stopped near the Friendship Bridge to allow some passengers to alight before continuing on to the bus station. It cost 200 baht all in for the return for two of us. Comfortable, with seat belts, although we were the only one's wearing them, and air conditioned. I had some reservations when I saw the driver wearing glasses - with no actual lenses in them but he wasn't a maniac driver. Last time I used the 'slow' clapped out banger bus from near the old Tesco it was 160 baht all in for us. A very good service on the mini van for the little extra cost
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