Laos
Country Details
See Wikipedia
Railway System
Maps
- Online: web archive copy of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia map from the Railways Through Europe site, dated April 2009
Timetable
- Printed: summary timetables are available in some editions of the European Rail Timetable.
Information is available at the Man in Seat 61.
Ticketing
On the High Speed line [as at January 2025] no ticket purchase is possible until 2 or 3 three days before travel... See Man in Seat 61 for options.
The LCR Ticket App has been recommended. LCR Ticket is the official mobile phone ticketing application software launched by Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. The software has functions such as ticket inquiry, reservation, online payment, ticket change, refund, order inquiry, frequent contact management, and personal data modification.
Gauges
A Standard gauge line from Vientiane to China, plus Metre from a separate station in Vientiane into Thailand.
Electrification
25 kV 50 Hz AC
Metro and light rail systems
None
Visit Report
Recent and Future Changes
Recent Changes
The previous just crossing the border [on a combined road/rail bridge] Metre Gauge Bangkok - Nong Khai [SRT] - Thanaleng service was extended 9km further into Laos from 19 July 2024 to terminate at the new Vientiane Khamsavath station. Note Khamsavath station is still 9km from the city centre and in a different location to the High Speed line railway station in Vientiane.
The 418 km railway linking Vientiane and the Chinese border at Boten was formally opened on 3 December 2021. A regular once a day cross-border passenger service between Kunming in China and Vientiane commenced on 13 April 2023.
Future Changes
A Laotian and a Vietnamese company reported in March 2023 that they have the backing of their respective national governments for a study into the construction of a 555 km railway between Vientiane and the port of Vũng Áng in Vietnam.
There is assumed to be a plan to extend the existing China – Laos standard gauge railway into Thailand as an approved Thai scheme makes provision for freight transhipment facilities between SRT’s metre and standard gauge at Nong Khai in Thailand. Completion of the Thai line from Bangkok to Nong Khai is scheduled for 2030.
Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
None known.
