1. Bus / Van to Chiang Mai
2. Bus + Flight to Chiang Mai
3. Train Travel to Chiang Mai
🎫 Book a Tour in Ch.Mai
🎫 Book Ticket to Ch. Mai
From Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai you can get by bus / van + plane, train.
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- Travel distance from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai in Thailand is about 800 km by road via Vientiane and Nong Khai. The best, fastest and comfortable option how you can get to Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng in Laos is to travel by bus + plane with stopover in Luang Prabang. Transport by bus + plane from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Luang Prabang International Airport) takes about 10-15 hours and it costs about $140-180/pp. There are buses or minivans from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang and the direct flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai, flight schedule is very limited. By this way of transfer you will save some travel time, travel by land to Chiang Mai is not so comfortable.
- Another option how to go from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai is to travel by tourist bus / minivan via Vientiane in Laos. Travel time by bus/van from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (with stopover in Vientiane) is about 22-30 hours and it costs about $50-60/pp. It is not a good idea to spend about 30 hours in the bus. You can also travel to Chiang Mai via Vientiane and Bangkok by trains. There is a train from Vang Vieng to Vientiane and from Vientiane to Bangkok and Bangkok to Chiang Mai you can travel by Thai train.
You can also travel to Chiang Mai via Vientiane and Bangkok.
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- Chiang Mai – the most popular tourist site in the north of Thailand. This attractive and authentic place offers various tourist activites, attractions, history, amazing nature, mountains and various tourist trips to nearby areas. This place is easily accessible because there is an international airport, railway station and various buses or private minivans from Bangkok or other sites of Thailand. But it is very far, so to get there takes some time, if you want to skip transport by plane. And it takes a lot of time if you want to travel to Chiang Mai from Laos – Vang Vieng.
- There are 3 popular ways how you can go to Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng – travel by tourist bus/minivan, bus + flight via Luang Prabang or train via Vientiane and Bangkok. The most comfortable option is to travel by bus + plane via Luang Prabang or Vientiane. There is no direct train to Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng. From Chiang Mai you can also travel to Chiang Rai or Nan (bus or private car) – another popular place, about 200 km from Chiang Mai. Book bus / train tickets + flights from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai online.
| Transfer Mode – Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai: | Travel Time | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Bus / Van (via Vientiane) | 22-30 hours | $50-60/pp |
| Bus + Plane (via Vientiane or Luang Prabang) | 10-15 hours | $140-180/pp |
| Train (via Vientiane, Bangkok) | 28-36 hours | $35-100/pp |
How do I get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
1. BUS / VAN from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai
One of the cheaper ground transfer options from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai is to travel by bus / minivan via Vientiane, the capital of Laos. So this transport option usually has 2 steps, first it is a trip by minibus from Vang Vieng to Vientiane and then a trip by another bus, possibly in combination with a minivan from Vientiane to Chiang Mai.
The total travel time by bus / minivan from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai is approximately 18-22 hours (approx. 2.5-3 hours from Vang Vieng to Vientiane and approx. 15 hours from Vientiane to Chiang Mai). However, this time may vary and depends on the next connection or possibly other transfers to the next connection.
1. BOOK TICKETS to Vientiane ➜
Companies that offer transfers from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai are RG Adventure, Family Service, Naluang, Soutchai Travel (on the route to Vientiane) and Family Service on the route from Vientiane to Chiang Mai. These buses and minivans can depart from various locations in Vang Vieng and Vientiane and also arrive at various locations in Chiang Mai, such as Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3.
You will see all this information about departures and arrivals when searching for tickets, so read everything carefully. A bus/minivan transfer from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai via Vientiane can cost you between $50-60/pp, the price can also vary depending on the type of bus or minibus you use.
You can easily search and buy bus tickets from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai easily online in advance. When searching for bus tickets, it is better to search for tickets for 2 routes separately, in this case you will search for more connections between individual cities. After booking tickets to Chiang Mai, always read all transfer information and follow all company instructions to avoid any misunderstandings.
2. BOOK TICKETS to Chiang Mai ➜
2. BUS + FLIGHT from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai
The fastest, most comfortable, but more expensive way to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai is by minibus and air via Vientiane or Luang Prabang. Vang Vieng does not have an airport, so you cannot travel directly from there by air. This transport option can take around 10-15 hours in total, depending on the air connections.
There are flights to Chiang Mai from Vientiane or Luang Prabang, so you have to get to these cities first and then you can travel by air to Chiang Mai. However, direct flights between Vientiane / Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai are relatively very limited, so connecting flights can then also be used, often connecting in Bangkok.
1. BOOK TICKETS to L.Prabang ➜
Both Vientiane and Luang Prabang can be traveled from Vang Vieng by train, which is faster than traveling by minibus. A direct flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai takes about 1 hour, from Vientiane there are more connecting flights that can take about 5-10 hours. Flights from Laos to Chiang Mai are offered by Bangkok Air, Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air, Bangkok Air, Thai Smile, VietJet Air and Hanh Air Systems.
Transfer by bus / train and air from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai via the cities of Vientiane or Luang Prabang can cost in the range of $140-180/pp, of course the price can vary a little. Some flights may also be higher class, so the price may increase.
Tickets and air tickets from Vang Vieng and other Lao cities to Chiang Mai can be searched and purchased online, again search for tickets for each route separately. Air transfer from another Lao city to Chiang Mai is the best transport option, but the disadvantage is the limited flight schedules of direct flights and sometimes a little higher prices of these flights.
2. BOOK FLIGHTS to Chiang Mai ➜
3. TRAINS from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Bangkok)
Another land transfer option from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai is to travel by train via Vientiane and Bangkok. However, this shipping option takes the longest, approximately 28-36 hours, and has a total of 3 steps. First it’s a Lao train journey from Vang Vieng to Vientiane, then a Thai train journey from Vientiane to Bangkok, and then another train journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
See route map on Laos railway map and Thailand railway map. It is a good opportunity for those who want to visit Vientiane, the capital of Laos and Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. The train can also be a comfortable option of transport if you use sleeping beds in Thailand, there are only seats in the trains in Laos and there is a modern fast train in Laos.
1. BOOK TICKETS to Vientiane ➜
Sleepers on Thai trains on the route from Vientiane to Bangkok and from Bangkok to Chiang Mai are always a more expensive option than 2nd and 3rd class seats. In total, a transfer by train from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai via Vientiane and Bangkok can cost about $25-100/pp, the cheapest option is always using seats.
From Vientiane, from Khamsavath Railway Station, there is an international train to Bangkok via the Thanaleng-Nong Khai border crossing. However, the disadvantage of this train is the limited schedule, there is usually only 1 of these international trains. On other routes in Laos and Thailand, there are usually about 5 trains per day.
Train tickets from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai via Vientiane and Bangkok can be searched and purchased online in advance. Search for individual routes and tickets separately, tickets can be stored in your mobile phone as e-tickets, so there is no need to print them. When boarding the train in Laos and Thailand, you always present them on your phone with the appropriate QR code that these tickets have.
However, always read the current train transfer information and conditions and follow all Lao-China and Thai Railways instructions to avoid misunderstandings or other problems. Transport by train does not have to be a bad option, the sleeping beds can be comfortable, but the disadvantage is a longer travel time compared to other transfer options.
3. BOOK TICKETS to Chiang Mai ➜
❓ FAQ — Travel route from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai:
1. How to book and buy tickets + flights from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- Book and buy tickets+flights from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai online on 12go.asia ➜ or Baolau ➜.
- You can change your route, e.g. Vang Vieng > Vientiane, Vientiane > Bangkok…
2. What is the travel distance from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- Travel distance to Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng is about 800 km by road via Vientiane and Nong Khai.
3. What is the travel time from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- Travel by bus / van from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Vientiane) takes about 22-30 hours.
- Travel by bus + plane from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Luang Prabang) takes about 10-15 hours.
- Travel by train from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Vientiane, Bangkok) takes about 28-36 hours.
4. How much does it cost to get from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- Transport by bus / van from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Vientiane) costs about $50-60/pp.
- Transport by bus + plane from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Luang Prabang) costs about $140-180/pp.
- Transport by train from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai (via Vientiane, Bangkok) costs about $25-100/pp.
5. What is the best way of transport from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- The best and fast option how you can travel to Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng is to travel by bus/van + plane via Luang Prabang. There are buses from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang and direct flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai. But the flight schedule is very limited.
6. What is the cheapest way of getting from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- The cheapest option how you can reach Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng is to travel by land, by combination of bus, minivan or bus + train via Thailand. The most cheapest way by bus + train via Thailand should cost about $35-40/pp, but this way of transport is not so comfortable.
7. Is there a train from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- No, there is no direct train from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai in Thailand. But there is a train from Vang Vieng to Vientiane and from Vientiane to Bangkok and Bangkok to Chiang Mai. So, this options has totally 3 steps, you can use Lao-China Railway trains and Thai trains.
8. Is there a direct flight from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai?
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- No, there is no flight from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai, because Vang Vieng has no airport. There is a direct flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai, flight schedule between Laos and Thailand is limited.
9. Where you can also go from Chiang Mai?
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- From Chiang Mai you can also travel to Pai. Pai is about 130 km from Chiang Mai, it is also a popular tourist site. You can go there by bus/minivan or private car/taxi, it takes about 3-4 hours. You can also visit nearby Phayao or you can go by minivan or car to Mae Hong Son. Another popular travel route is by train to Bangkok.
10. How and where to book hotel in Chiang Mai?
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- Chiang Mai offers mainly cheap guesthouses, hotels and luxury resorts for tourists. Search and book your hotel, bungalow or resort in Chiang Mai in Thailand online here > Book resort or hotel in Chiang Mai.
BOOK a TOUR / ACTIVITY in Chiang Mai ➜
BOOK Your HOTEL in Chiang Mai ➜
🎫 Book bus/train tickets or flights from Vang Vieng to Chiang Mai:
(You can change your travel route, e.g. Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Vientiane to Chiang Mai…)