15 minutes travel time?? Do the passengers stamp out of Thailand at the Nong Khai station and into Lao at the ThaNalang station??? It would seem to me that's the only possible way of getting across the bridge and between the stations in 15 minutes... Eventually, they'll get the train tracks extended to Vientiane proper, probably with a station quite near the That Luang temple... That would make far more sense that merely going to Tha Na leng a mere 3.5 km into Laos and NOT on the main road...

One small step at a time I guess

Thanks for anwering that question, now the next is there train service in Lao beyond Vientene?

I would assume you will still have to pay the 30 Bucks to get into Lao and you will have to process somewhere to gte back ino Thailand. Really sounds like they just made there lives harder for a little reward.

Whatever happened to that easy borde travle stuf eveyone was talking anouit, try going over on a bike. You better have your act together. Even if you have gotten all the permits before hand as you are supposed o to do, Doesn't mean your getting across the bridge. Hey I would love to go over there for dinner occassionally but it's just not worth it.

$30.00 across the bridge and more fees for mutli entry visa, makes dinner rather expensive,

They talk a good game just as they did at th Asean Summit this weekend but in the end they do very little to help eachother. Multi national tourist promotion, I bet nothing changes. What was it a tri country tourist agreement. Wait till someone actually tries to use it. But it does look good on paper.

I wanted to ride 2 this year to Vietnam only to see guys geting stopped right and left who had the proper pemits. It's really sad they are doing no one any favors including themselves.

I really want to see the Plain of Jars. But, I need to do it on my bike not some 250 CC dirt bike. Back won't handle it. In the end I didn't get to se the plain of jars and they didn't get my money. so no one won on that one.

I'm more the willing to follow the law, but it mean very little when the other side doesn't. I know ther are all kinds of othre way to do that. But I waited all my life to do what I do now. So I think I will stick to my program

Doesn't mean your getting across the bridge. Hey I would love to go over there for dinner occassionally but it's just not worth it.

i hear that, would love to hop over once in a while for a day or 2. that 3000 baht cost just to set foot in vientiane is a bit much, especially for just a couple days. 1800 visa fee, 1000 re-entry visa, couple hundred misc taxi. one hell of an admission fee. not bad if doing couple weeks, but that's my whole budget for a weekend sitting on the thai side of river for a weekend.

They should issue residents of Nong Khai and Udon a border pass, just like they do for Thais.
Git, best way to get to the Plain of Jars is to fly from Vientiane.

I hear that but I want to go by bike LOL. Lao used to make a lot of money on visa run may be the same may not I don't know. We are simply the round peg for the sqaure hole. Not tourist not recognized a residents. Many things out weigh that so I'm still here. In the End it's the businesses in Vientene that lose plenty of good places to eat right here.

My best guess at the moment is that the rail will eventually go through to China. Why else link to Laos?

As for the high cost of spending an afternoon in Laos, maybe there is an Asean visa somewhere in the distant future. It sure could boost tourism if the counties could come to agreement.

Wouldnl;t that be nice we could visit some nieghbors. Distant future is probably correct they discussed on NBT this morning. They have agreed in Princicpal, but this Thai guy calls hem like he sees them. They may have agreed in principal. But, the nit and n bolts are a long ways off. The way he put was they all have simalier products, so whatt is to export? His prediction not mine, they will meet next year congradulate themselves on what they have done and nothing will change just as the past has been. His words no mine.

I would be satisfied as to the bike if they would just honor the agreements and laws they have already. Cambodia adn Mylasia are no problems only Loa. Remember these guys went and paid for the permits as required by law and still were not allowed to cross. Nor were they refunded any money. Not exactly a good deal

1400hr.the track by the station is being taken up and replaced, the old timber under the track is being stacked near the track. to say it is in bad condition is an understatement. i suppose the fact that the princess is to ride on the train is the reason for the repairs.

Just been down to NK Railway Station,Oh My Looks nice ,Marvelous what a tin of paint can do......

Git,,, re: Remember these guys went and paid for the permits as required by law and still were not allowed to cross. Nor were they refunded any money. Not exactly a good deal .
Were the "permits", paperwork, etc. only for a specific crossing point or could they be used anywhere?

That I dont know my friend sorry.

I did notice a passenger trian headed to Nong Khai yesterday about 1200 hours, wonder if that was a part of this. Bangkok train comes in very early and leaves early evening.

Problem may be gone by now I haen't seen anything recently posted on it on Gtriders. May have simply been one hand not knowing what the other was doing. That is not unusual in Asia, the guy at the gate is the last to get the information.

Guy have tored Viewtnam yet there is a vey tight limit on CC's of bikes and they are small bikes allowed in. These guys don't ride small bikes.

My dream tour would be Lao, Vietnam, into China and back, Won't even try it right now. Man what a vacation that would be.

There's been stories in the thainews about the train. Apparently, there is an actual train circuit
that forms kind of like a large "figure 8" stretching all the way from the northwest of Laos down
to the southeast. quite a spectacular idea to boost tourism. yes, i would also like to know how
immig duties are being handled? they must have special offices to deal with the train's clientele.

Hi,
According to the Thai news, today, the train line from Thailand to Lao will be opened by the Princess today, it is to be the first rail line in Lao, and they are going to get more lines up and going??? Also the line will be extended into VT this year, with luck.The princess will open the line 5 of March and the first passenger train will run from N.K. at 0920Hr on the 6/3/09. and there will be two return trips a day.
But this is Thailand.
Cheers Doug.
PS. I wondered why they were cleaning the lines and painting the bridge when i was up there last Friday.