Laos is often a forgotten country, untouched by the modern world, landlocked, and isolated. While the word “landlocked” may evoke a feeling of being trapped and make you think that Laos is hard to get to and travel around, that is now far from the truth, and even more so now that the railway is up and running!
The incredible feat of engineering that is Laos’ new high-speed railway is one of the most talked-about topics in Southeast Asia right now. Yes, you read that correctly! “high-speed” and “Laos” in the same sentence – what a strange and wonderful world we live in!
Officially inaugurated on the 3rd of December 2021, the railway has helped boost the local economy by facilitating the import, export, and transit of goods through Laos. It’s also proving to be a valuable domestic transportation link that energizes domestic tourism and makes people’s lives so much easier than before. Gone are the days of multi-day transfers on poor-quality roads to get from one city to another, and ushered in a new era of modern transportation in Laos!
Why is it so good for tourism, and how will it improve our itineraries?
From a tourism perspective, the railway opens up the possibility of developing exciting new destinations in more remote areas, something that we are currently working on, as well as facilitating the transfers between existing destinations and making the whole travel situation faster, more comfortable, more cost-effective, and most importantly, more sustainable!
Including rail transfers in your travelers’ itineraries will improve the quality and comfort of a trip, but it will enable your travelers to slow things down by speeding things up!
Laos has always been famous for its slow and peaceful lifestyle; nothing has changed there. Slow travel is a trend that we are embracing here at Easia Travel and one that fits exceptionally well with Laos. The wonderful thing is that the high-speed railway complements this by replacing the long, windy, bumpy, stressful multi-day mountain road transfers with fast, comfortable, less expensive, and more eco-friendly journeys on the high-speed bullet train.
The new railway provides the perfect way for your travelers to get from A to B stress-free and gives them more quality time to slowly and peacefully explore the places they came to visit rather than rushing to see everything because they’ve got a 2-day transfer. They are coming up!
Laos isn’t a checklist of places to see and boxes to tick. Laos is a feeling, an emotion, and an experience. By speeding up things like transfers, we slow down everything else, giving travelers more time to truly appreciate the feelings and emotions that this incredible destination invokes and giving them enough time to discover and sincerely appreciate the true essence of Laos.
What’s next for the railway? Is it going to be expanded?
This is just the beginning! The newly opened Laos-China railway is beginning and will make up just a tiny part of an expansive national and international rail network!
Proposed routes will link Laos and Vietnam (Vientiane to Vung An), Central/Southern Laos, and Thailand (Thakhek/Savannakhet/Pakse to Vangtao/Chongmek), as well as Southern Laos and Cambodia (Pakse to Veun Kham/Dong Kalor/Stung Treng).
The feasibility studies are underway, and with the success of the Lao-China railway, we hope that construction will commence sooner rather than later. Once complete, these new transportation routes will not only open up possibilities to explore new and remote areas of Laos but also enable exciting, sustainable, overland multi-country journeys.
Why It’s a Great Idea To Include Rail Travel in a Laos Itinerary:
- It’s cheaper than a transfer by road or plane – that means your travelers will have some extra cash to save or spend on things that matter! Who doesn’t like having some extra money to go shopping!?
- It reduces the transfer times – that means your travelers will have more time to spend in the places they came to see! Speeding up the transfers lets them slow down everything else!
- It’s very comfortable – that means your travelers won’t have to endure the long, winding, bumpy roads that the mountainous north of Laos is infamous for!
- It’s more sustainable – as the electric trains are powered mainly through hydropower-generated electricity (Laos’ electricity is approximately 86% hydropower generated), your travelers will lower their carbon footprint! No need for gas-guzzling minivans or domestic flights!
Map and Schedule
From a tourism perspective, the Oudomxay, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane stations are of immediate interest. These are popular destinations and places where we have some fantastic things for you to offer to your travelers! Click on the purple markers to learn more about these places and contact your Easia Sales Team to discuss what we can deliver there!
Train Schedule
Train Schedule – EActive by Easia Travel
How To Combine a Program
Are you as excited as we are about using the railway in your itineraries!
There are endless possibilities to incorporate the train transfers into an itinerary and use them to help turn an itinerary into an experience and that experience into an unforgettable memory.
Here is one example, among many other possibilities, to include the railway in an itinerary!
Explore Northern and Central Laos – 10D9N
Luang Prabang ,Nong Khiaw, Vang Vieng, Vientiane
Itinerary Highlights:
- Experience a great mix of culture and landscapes, from a colonial city to the jungle, from karst mountain viewpoints and caves to rice terraces and turquoise waterfalls.
- Explore Laos in a sustainable way – minimizing travel by car and exploring the region on foot, by bicycle, by boat and on Laos’ new high-speed electric railway!
- Interact with Laos’ gentle giants – spend some quality time with the elephants through the lush jungle in the stunning countryside near Luang Prabang!
- Experience Laos’ local life by participating in traditional ceremonies, visiting remote villages, and meeting the smiling and friendly locals everywhere you go!
At Easia Travel we pride ourselves on the effort we put into adapting and tailoring your itineraries to make them perfect for your travelers; helping you help them have a holiday to remember!
Contact your Easia Sales Team directly to discuss the railway and how it can benefit you and your travelers!
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