Sleeper Bus from Hanoi to Vientiane and from Vientiane to Hanoi

Sleeper Bus from Hanoi to Vientiane and from Vientiane to Hanoi

Hello dear readers, I am mr.hotsia. Today I will share my experience traveling by sleeper bus between Hanoi, Vietnam and Vientiane, Laos. This route connects two important cities in Southeast Asia that many people are not very familiar with traveling by bus instead of the faster flight. But for me, choosing the sleeper bus became a memorable and impressive experience.

Most travelers to Hanoi choose to fly because it is convenient and fast, just a few hours to arrive. But if you think like me, traveling from Chiang Khong, exploring Laos province by province before reaching the Laos-Vietnam border and crossing into Hanoi, traveling by bus is suitable for soaking in the local life atmosphere, the lifestyle of people on both sides of the Mekong River, and experiencing the gradual change of terrain from mountains and green forests to increasingly cosmopolitan big cities.

Route from Hanoi to Vientiane by Sleeper Bus

For the trip from Hanoi to Vientiane, the bus departs at 8:00 PM. I bought the ticket through an agency near my accommodation in downtown Hanoi for 1,200 baht. This price includes hotel pickup service, very convenient for travelers unfamiliar with finding taxis or buses in foreign cities. Normally, buying tickets directly at the bus station is slightly cheaper, about 1,000 baht, but I prioritized convenience.

After the bus left the station at 8 PM, it passed through the town of Huin and stopped for a late dinner around 10 PM. I didn’t miss ordering a Tiger Beer, a popular Vietnamese beer, to relax and chatted with a Lao police officer sitting next to me who was studying in Hanoi. The atmosphere on the bus was not as quiet as expected, with soft conversations and laughter, making me feel like I had fun travel companions.

After the meal and beer break, I slept soundly until the immigration checkpoint at about 4:30 AM. This checkpoint has clean restrooms and a Vietnamese coffee shop, perfect for washing up and recharging before crossing the border.

At the Vietnamese exit checkpoint, a fee of 1 US dollar per person is required. Then you cross to the other side at the Namphao checkpoint in Laos. This route is easy and fast, just like crossing a provincial border within Thailand.

Arriving in Vientiane and Continuing to Thailand

After boarding the bus again from Namphao, it continues to the main town of Savannakhet (called Muang Bunkeo by locals) for a lunch stop. Then it drives straight to the international station in Vientiane around 3 PM. This station is different from the bus station for traveling to Thailand. You need to take a tuk-tuk for about 40 baht to reach your accommodation or other bus stations.

Most accommodations in Vientiane are around the Kamphong area, which is affordable and offers many options. I recommend exploring on your own or asking local agencies, as they also provide shuttle services from the station to accommodations.

If you are interested in more Laos-Vietnam routes, try reading about my travel experience in Hanoi atBackpacking in Hanoi 2016Or if you want to know about traveling in Ho Chi Minh City, another important city in southern Vietnam, I have an interesting article titledBooking Tours in Ho Chi Minhfor you to read as well.

Returning from Vientiane to Hanoi

After exploring Vientiane and Laos for a while, I chose to return to Hanoi by bus to complete the round trip by bus both ways. The bus departs Vientiane around 8 PM and takes about seven and a half hours to reach Hanoi at 3 PM the next day.

The bus route passes through the changing scenery along the Mekong River from rural areas to big cities, with rest stops along the way to stretch your legs. This is a good opportunity to try local snacks or experience the lifestyle of people along the route.

If you prefer to fly back instead of taking the bus, I recommend booking in advance with AirAsia, which offers relatively cheap direct flights between Hanoi and Vientiane. Another option is to fly to Laos, then take a bus to Udon Thani and fly back to Bangkok, which is also convenient.

Ending a Memorable Sleeper Bus Journey

For me, taking the sleeper bus from Hanoi to Vientiane and back gave a completely different feeling from flying. I saw the close connection of lifestyles between the two countries, stopped to eat local food by the roadside, and met diverse people, both Vietnamese and Lao, exchanging experiences on the bus throughout the journey.

If anyone wants to experience a relaxed journey and truly see the local landscapes and cultures, I, mr.hotsia, highly recommend the Hanoi-Vientiane sleeper bus route.

For more travel and accommodation information in Hanoi, try readingTraveling in HanoiAnd for traveling in southern Vietnam, don’t forget to check out my articleBus Travel from Ho Chi Minh to Vung Tauas well.