Chiang Khong ↔ Huay Xai: the Thailand to Laos border crossing
You change here rather than crossing aboard, and you should budget about 90 minutes for the formalities on top of the journey either side.
Thailand ↔ Laos · about 90 minutes · 1 service · 1 written-up journey
How the crossing works
Chiang Khong ↔ Huay Xai
Thailand ↔ Laos- Where
- Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, by shuttle bus
- On the train?
- No — you cannot walk the bridge, a shuttle bus carries you across
- Luggage
- Yes
- Visa
- Lao visa-on-arrival is normally available here, in US dollars cash. Confirm for your passport before relying on it.
- Cash on the far side
- Crisp, unmarked US dollar notes for the Lao visa fee, plus kip for the boat.
- Time cost
- About 90 minutes of formalities
The trap. The bridge is several kilometres outside both towns, so the crossing is two tuk-tuk rides with a bus in between. Do it the afternoon before the boat, not the same morning — the slow boat leaves Huay Xai early and does not wait.
What crosses here
| Service | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Khong → Huay Xai Shuttle over the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge | Local transfer | 30m | $2 |
Typical scheduled running time for the crossing leg itself, which does not include the 90 minutes of formalities above. Allow for both when you are working out whether a connection holds. Fares are indicative.
Local transfer. Taxi, tuk-tuk, songthaew or minivan at the station. Agree the fare before you get in. Punctuality: fair.
Getting to each side
The frontier is rarely the problem. Reaching it on a day when something onward is still running usually is.
Chiang Khong
Thailand| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai → Chiang Khong Green Bus via Chiang Rai | Green Bus | 6h | $12 |
| Chiang Rai → Chiang Khong Green Bus to the border | Green Bus | 2h 30m | $5 |
Huay Xai
Laos| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huay Xai → Pakbeng Mekong slow boat (day 1) | Mekong slow boat | 6h | $15 |
Journeys through Chiang Khong ↔ Huay Xai
Written up in full, each with this crossing in its proper place in the itinerary rather than as a footnote.
- Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang by slow boat 4 legs · 3d · $84
Plan a journey through it Pick two places and the crossing appears in the itinerary, with the buffer it needs.