There are 8 ways to get from Laos to Chiang Rai by plane, bus, train, ferry, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Luang Prabang International Airport to Chiang Mai International Airport, bus
best- Fly from Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)plane LPQ - CNX
- Take the bus from Chiang Mai K star Travel to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1bus
5h 46m฿4,852–8,267Bus via Khon Kaen
cheapest- Take the bus from Vientiane Phanthavong Tour Office to Khon Kaenbus
- Take the bus from Khon Kaen to Chiang Raibus
18h฿986–1,755Train, Local Speedboat, drive, bus
- Take the train from Vientiane station to Luang Prabang stationtrain
- Take the ferry from Luang Prabang to Pakbengferry
- Drive from Pakbeng to Chiang Khong Bordercar
- Take the bus from Chiang Khong Border to Chiang Rai Town Transferbus
13h 32m฿2,689–3,579Bus, train, ferry, Local Bus
- Take the bus from Vientiane Transfer to Amari Van Vieng Hotel Transferbus
- Take the train from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang Naluang Terminaltrain
- Take the ferry from Luang Prabang to Huay Xaiferry
- Take the bus from Chiang khong to Chiang Raibus
16h 2m฿1,589–2,019Drive 556.6 km
- Drive from Vientiane to Chiang Raicar 556.6 km
9h 35m฿3,016–4,357Fly Wattay International Airport to Louang Namtha Airport, drive
- Fly from Wattay International Airport (VTE) to Louang Namtha Airport (LXG)plane VTE - LXG
- Drive from Louang Namtha Airport (LXG) to Chiang Raicar
6h 19m฿3,845–5,545Bus
- Take the bus from Nong Khai to Chaing Mai Arcade Bus Terminalbus
- Take the bus from CoolMuang Coffee to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1bus CoolMuang Coffee - Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1
17h 31m฿2,032–2,388Bus #2
- Take the bus from Morning market Talat Sao to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3bus Morning market Talat Sao - Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3
- Take the bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Raibus Chiang Mai
23h 59m฿1,440–1,590
Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Laos to Chiang Rai is to bus via Khon Kaen which costs ฿950 - ฿1800 and takes 18h.
The fastest way to get from Laos to Chiang Rai is to fly and bus which takes 5h 46m and costs ฿4800 - ฿8500.
No, there is no direct bus from Laos to Chiang Rai. However, there are services departing from Vientiane Phanthavong Tour Office and arriving at Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 via Nong Khai, Nakhon Chai Air Chiang Mai and CoolMuang Coffee. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 17h 31m.
The distance between Laos and Chiang Rai is 553 km. The road distance is 556.6 km.
The best way to get from Laos to Chiang Rai without a car is to bus which takes 17h 31m and costs ฿2000 - ฿2400.
It takes approximately 5h 46m to get from Laos to Chiang Rai, including transfers.
Laos to Chiang Rai bus services, operated by Orsuksa Tour, depart from Nong Khai station.
Laos to Chiang Rai bus services, operated by Orsuksa Tour, arrive at Chaing Mai Arcade Bus Terminal station.
Yes, the driving distance between Laos to Chiang Rai is 557 km. It takes approximately 9h 35m to drive from Laos to Chiang Rai.
Book your Laos to Chiang Rai bus tickets online with 12go.asia.
What companies run services between Laos and Chiang Rai, Thailand?
You can take a bus from Vientiane Phanthavong Tour Office to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 via Nong Khai, Chaing Mai Arcade Bus Terminal, Nakhon Chai Air Chiang Mai, Tha Pae Gate, and CoolMuang Coffee in around 17h 31m.
- Website
- laoairlines.com
Flights from Luang Prabang International Airport to Chiang Mai International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ฿4,000–6,500
Flights from Wattay International Airport to Louang Namtha Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ฿2,400–3,300
- Phone
- 021-891888
- Website
- facebook.com
Train from Vientiane station to Luang Prabang station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿550–1,000
- Schedules at
- baolau.com
- Book at
- booking.baolau.com
- Second Class
- ฿550–590
- First Class
- ฿900–1,000
- Phone
- 856071212979
Train from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang Naluang Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- ฿500–850
- Book at
- 12 Go
- Phone
- +66 2 225 1025
- booking@paifriendlytour.co.th
- Website
- Pai Friendly Tour
Bus from Chiang Mai K star Travel to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿650
- Website
- Pai Friendly Tour
Bus from Chiang Khong Border to Chiang Rai Town Transfer
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 12m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿910
- Website
- Pai Friendly Tour
Bus from CoolMuang Coffee to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ฿840
- Website
- Pai Friendly Tour
- Phone
- +66 2 285 1085
- booking@yortdoytravel.co.th
- Website
- 12go.co
Bus from Vientiane Transfer to Amari Van Vieng Hotel Transfer
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿475
- Book at
- Yortdoy Travel
Bus from Chiang khong to Chiang Rai
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- ฿65
- Phone
- 084-2626003
- Website
- easybook.com
Bus from Nong Khai to Chaing Mai Arcade Bus Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿1,400–1,700
- Book at
- 12go.asia
- prpbee711@gmail.com
- Website
- Mekong Transfer
Bus from CoolMuang Coffee to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ฿750–780
- Schedules at
- Mekong Transfer
- Phone
- +66 42 081 899
- rgadventure.th@gmail.com
- Website
- RG Adventure
Bus from CoolMuang Coffee to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿430–1,200
- Schedules at
- RG Adventure
Bus from Vientiane Phanthavong Tour Office to Khon Kaen
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ฿330–360
- Phone
- +66 2 936 3256
- Website
- Sombat Tour
Bus from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ฿650–1,318
- Book at
- 12 Go
- Website
- Sombat Tour
- Express
- ฿650–800
- VIP
- ฿1,030
- Phone
- 086 065 5466
- nancy25262010@hotmail.com
- Website
- Tara Tour and Travel
Bus from Morning market Talat Sao to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3
- Ave. Duration
- 18h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿1,000–2,400
- Schedules at
- Tara Tour and Travel
- Phone
- +66 5326 6480
- servicecenter@greenbusthailand.com
- Website
- Green Bus Thailand
Bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- ฿400–550
- Book at
- 12 Go
- Website
- Green Bus Thailand
- Website
- hobomaps.com
Ferry from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿299
- Schedules at
- hobomaps.com
- Website
- asocialnomad.com
Ferry from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿419
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
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Booking & Getting There
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