There are 7 ways to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai by train, ferry, bus, car, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train, ferry, Local Bus
best- Take the train from Van Vieng station to Luang Prabang station
- Take the ferry from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai
- Take the bus from Chiang khong to Chiang Rai
13h 32m฿945–1,939Bus via Khon Kaen
cheapest- Take the bus from Vang Vieng Laos to Vientiane
- Take the bus from Vientiane Talat Sao Station to Khon Kaen
- Take the bus from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai
20h 30m฿939–1,245Drive 494 km
- Drive from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai494 km
8h 21m฿2,874–4,152Bus to Wattay International Airport, fly to Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport
- Take the bus from Vang Vieng Laos to Vientiane
- Fly from Wattay International Airport (VTE) to Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI)VTE - CEI
8h 10m฿4,364–7,160Bus
- Take the bus from Vang Vieng Laos to Vientiane
- Take the bus from Nong Khai to Chaing Mai Arcade Bus Terminal
- Take the bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
21h 16m฿1,584–2,140Bus to Wattay International Airport, fly to Louang Namtha Airport, drive
- Take the bus from Vang Vieng Laos to Vientiane
- Fly from Wattay International Airport (VTE) to Louang Namtha Airport (LXG)VTE - LXG
- Drive from Louang Namtha Airport (LXG) to Chiang Rai
8h 29m฿4,124–5,880Train to Luang Prabang International Airport, fly to Chiang Mai International Airport, bus
- Take the train from Van Vieng station to Luang Prabang station
- Fly from Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)LPQ - CNX
- Take the bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
10h 2m฿4,485–9,044
Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai is to bus via Khon Kaen which costs ฿900 - ฿1300 and takes 20h 30m.
The fastest way to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai is to bus and fly which takes 8h 10m and costs ฿4300 - ฿7500.
No, there is no direct bus from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai. However, there are services departing from Vang Vieng Laos and arriving at Chiang Rai via Vientiane Talat Sao Station and Khon Kaen. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 20h 30m.
The distance between Vang Vieng and Chiang Rai is 540 km. The road distance is 494 km.
The best way to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai without a car is to bus via Khon Kaen which takes 20h 30m and costs ฿900 - ฿1300.
It takes approximately 13h 32m to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai, including transfers.
Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai bus services, operated by Soutchai Travel, depart from Vang Vieng Laos station.
Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai bus services, operated by Soutchai Travel, arrive at Vientiane station.
Yes, the driving distance between Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai is 494 km. It takes approximately 8h 21m to drive from Vang Vieng to Chiang Rai.
There are 384+ hotels available in Chiang Rai.
What companies run services between Vang Vieng, Laos and Chiang Rai, Thailand?
You can take a bus from Vang Vieng Laos to Chiang Rai via Vientiane Talat Sao Station and Khon Kaen in around 20h 30m.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Website
- airasia.com
Flights from Wattay International Airport to Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport via Don Muang
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ฿3,900–6,000
- Website
- thaiairways.com
Flights from Wattay International Airport to Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport via Suvarnabhumi
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ฿4,300–14,000
- Website
- laoairlines.com
Flights from Wattay International Airport to Louang Namtha Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ฿2,200–3,000
Flights from Luang Prabang International Airport to Chiang Mai International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ฿3,700–6,000
- Website
- facebook.com
Train from Van Vieng station to Luang Prabang station
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿280–700
- Schedules at
- baolau.com
- Book at
- booking.baolau.com
- Second Class
- ฿280–290
- First Class
- ฿450–700
Bus from Chiang khong to Chiang Rai
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- ฿65
- Phone
- +856 21 254512-5
- booking@soutchai.com
- Website
- soutchaitravel.com
Bus from Vang Vieng Laos to Vientiane
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ฿260–420
- Schedules at
- soutchaitravel.com
- Phone
- 1490
- borkorsor@transport.co.th
- Website
- tcl99web.transport.co.th
Bus from Vientiane Talat Sao Station to Khon Kaen
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ฿180–1,500
- Book at
- https://12go.asia/en/operator/transport-co
- Website
- https://tcl99web.transport.co.th/Home
- Phone
- +856 21 216 507
- vientianecitybus@gmail.com
- Website
- facebook.com
Bus from Vientiane Talat Sao Station to Khon Kaen
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ฿75
- Schedules at
- laos-guide-999.com
- Phone
- +66 2 936 3256
- Website
- sombattour.com
Bus from Khon Kaen to Chiang Rai
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ฿600–750
- Book at
- https://12go.asia/en/operator/sombat-tour
- Website
- https://www.sombattour.com/
- 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
- ฿1,097
- Book at
- 12go.asia
- Phone
- +66 5326 6480
- servicecenter@greenbusthailand.com
- Website
- greenbusthailand.com
Bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ฿200–600
- Book at
- https://12go.asia/en/operator/greenbus
- Website
- https://www.greenbusthailand.com/website/
- Website
- asocialnomad.com
Ferry from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ฿300–750
- Schedules at
- asocialnomad.com
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