Vietnam to Laos overland: buses, border crossings and visas

The visa comes before the bus ticket

The Lao e-visa portal lists nine entry ports. None is a land crossing from Vietnam. Its list includes Wattay, Luang Prabang and Pakse airports, three Lao–Thai friendship bridges, Boten road and rail, and Khamsavath railway station.

Laos's own immigration department says something different. Its checkpoint pages for Namkan, Namphao, Dansavan, Pang Hok, Naphao, La Lai and Dak Ta Ok, the Lao gates opposite Vietnam, all show “Visa on Arrival” and “eVisa”.

The same two labels appear on every checkpoint page, including the e-visa label the e-visa portal contradicts, so they read as a standard badge rather than a decision about your gate. Two things settle it: the crossing your bus actually uses, which the seller can tell you, and a Lao embassy or consulate's answer for your passport at that crossing. A ticket seller's assurance is not entry permission.

For entry at a designated port, the official Lao FAQ describes a tourist e-visa with a single entry, a 30-day stay and an approval letter valid for up to 60 days. Processing normally takes three working days after a complete application and payment, and can take longer.

• The fee depends on nationality.
• These conditions do not make an unlisted road gate eligible.

The Vietnamese gates, including the two added in 2025

Vietnam's government notice of 3 December 2025 lists these Laos-facing gates for Vietnamese e-visa entry and exit:

• On the existing list: Tây Trang, Na Mèo, Nậm Cắn, Cầu Treo, Cha Lo, La Lay, Lao Bảo and Bờ Y.
• Nam Giang: added on 2 December 2025.
• Lóng Sập: added on 2 December 2025.

The Lao side uses its own names: Namphao opposite Cầu Treo, Namkan opposite Nậm Cắn, Dansavan opposite Lao Bảo and Pang Hok opposite Tây Trang. Vietnam's list covers only your entry into Vietnam, not the Lao visa. Travellers in 2026 report being asked for unofficial cash payments by officials at Lao Bảo.

Bus fares below are for October 2026 departures, for one adult in dong. Departure times and arrival estimates belong to those particular tickets.

Hanoi–Vientiane: Nước Ngầm in both directions

HTX Van Tai 277 departures for October 2026 from Bến xe Nước Ngầm (Nước Ngầm bus station) to Vientiane Southern Bus Station:

• Semi-sleepers1,080,000₫18:00 and 18:30, arriving at 17:00 and 17:30 the next day. Both take 23 hours and cost 1,080,000₫.
• Cabin1,147,500₫17:30, arriving 16:30 next day, at 1,147,500₫.

Coming back, the semi-sleeper leaves Vientiane Southern at 18:00 and reaches Nước Ngầm at 17:00 next day, also 1,080,000₫. The 17:30 cabin arrives at 16:30 next day for 1,147,500₫.

Hanoi–Luang Prabang: sleeper or bus, van and train

For October 2026 departures, the HTX Van Tai 277 semi-sleeper leaves Nước Ngầm at 18:00 and reaches Luang Prabang Southern Bus Terminal at 19:00 next day, 25 hours, for 1,625,000₫ online. The return leaves that terminal at 18:00, reaches Nước Ngầm at 19:00 next day and costs the same.

The shorter advertised journey is a Laos Luxury Travel Royal Cabin + Van + Train combination ticket:

• Outbound1,553,970₫Bến xe Mỹ Đình (Mỹ Đình bus station) at 21:00 to Luang Prabang railway station at 15:30 next day, 18 hours 30 minutes, for 1,553,970₫.
• Return1,586,344₫Luang Prabang railway station at 09:50 to Mỹ Đình at 04:50 next day, 19 hours, for 1,586,344₫.

Some Hanoi–Luang Prabang tickets end in Nong Khiaw instead. Luang Prabang railway station, its southern bus terminal and Nong Khiaw are three different arrivals.

Ho Chi Minh City–Vientiane: get a dated bus confirmation

No bus between Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane was on sale online for October 2026, in either direction; only flights. Road journeys offered elsewhere can run through Cambodia: before paying, ask for a dated departure, the company, every change of vehicle and every country crossed, since Cambodia then needs its own visa.

Da Nang and Huế–Vientiane: watch the return terminal

Online fares for October 2026 departures to Vientiane Southern Bus Terminal:

• Laos Easy Go Travel sleeper1,722,316₫19 Hoàng Văn Thái, Đà Nẵng, at 08:00, arriving 04:45 next day, 20 hours 45 minutes, for 1,722,316₫.
• Grouptour2,465,000₫217 Hồ Nghinh at 07:00, arriving 01:00 next day, 18 hours, for 2,465,000₫.

The return HTX Van Tai 277 sleeper leaves Vientiane Southern at 18:00 and reaches Đà Nẵng central bus station at 19:30 next day, 25 hours 30 minutes, for 1,215,000₫.

For Huế, the return has two quite different drop-offs sold online:

• HTX Van Tai 2771,000,000₫Vientiane Southern at 18:00 to Huế Southern Bus Station at 14:00 next day, 20 hours, for 1,000,000₫.
• Naluang1,191,918₫17:30 to Huế Northern Bus Station at 07:30 next day, 14 hours, for 1,191,918₫.

From Huế to Vientiane, only a private car was on sale for that month, no bus.

Da Nang–Pakse: the van and sleeper are different journeys

For October 2026 departures, both offers below leave 19 Hoàng Văn Thái:

The van and the sleeper may not use the same crossing, and neither includes a Lao visa.

Coming back:

• Green Paradise seated bus1,577,279₫its Pakse office at 04:00 to Đà Nẵng at 14:00, 10 hours, for 1,577,279₫.
• Sanga Transport1,509,940₫Sanga Hostel and souvenir in Pakse at 04:00 to Đà Nẵng Central Bus Station at 15:00, 11 hours, for 1,509,940₫.

Vinh–Vientiane: a petrol-station pickup, not the bus station

For October 2026 departures, the HTX Van Tai 277 cabin ticket leaves at 23:00 from the location labelled “Cay xang so 28 Vinh, Ha Tinh”, petrol station 28. It reaches Vientiane Southern at 17:00 next day, 18 hours, for 1,080,000₫.

It is not Vinh bus station, so get the map pin from the seller.

The return leaves Vientiane Southern at 18:00 and reaches the same petrol-station label at 12:00 next day, 18 hours, for 1,080,000₫. For an actual Vinh Bus Station arrival, Family Service lists 18:00 to 13:00 next day, 19 hours, for 1,356,564₫.

Da Nang and Huế–Savannakhet: check whether Xeno is included

Laos Easy Go Travel online fares for October 2026 departures:

• Outbound1,269,075₫Đà Nẵng Bus Station at 07:00 and 08:00 to the stop labelled Savannakhet Bus Station at 18:45 and 19:45, 11 hours 45 minutes, for 1,269,075₫.
• Return, labelled Sleeper bus + Minivan1,061,879₫Savannakhet Bus Station at 08:00 to Đà Nẵng Bus Station at 18:00, 10 hours, for 1,061,879₫.

Huế departures and returns:

• Sapa Discovery Travel1,187,000₫26 Nguyễn Huệ at 10:30 to Savannakhet Bus Station at 22:30, 12 hours, for 1,187,000₫.
• Laos Easy Go Travel return802,884₫Savannakhet Bus Station at 08:00 to 97 An Dương Vương, Huế, at 16:00, 8 hours, for 802,884₫.

"Savannakhet Bus Station" can mean the city or Xeno, and a ticket labelled “bus + minivan” is not one bus all the way: the seller can say which, and which crossing the bus uses.

Điện Biên Phủ–Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw

The October 2026 Luang Prabang tickets are van + train, not a train across the Vietnamese border:

• Asian Bus Travel937,499₫A Thia Homestay Villa, Điện Biên, at 07:00 to Luang Prabang railway station at 16:00, 9 hours, for 937,499₫.
• HT Travel1,000,000₫Bến xe Điện Biên Phủ (Điện Biên Phủ bus station) at 06:30 to the railway station at 18:30, 12 hours, for 1,000,000₫.

The return Asian Bus Travel ticket starts at Luang Prabang railway station at 09:30 and reaches Điện Biên Phủ bus station at 18:30, train + van, 9 hours, for 1,125,000₫. If your itinerary names Tây Trang, the Lao side is Pang Hok.

For Nong Khiaw, the two directions do not have matching inventory: no Điện Biên–Nong Khiaw ticket was on sale for October 2026 departures.

Coming back, Nong Khiaw Nature Tour lists a hotel-transfer minivan at 07:30 to Điện Biên Phủ bus station at 17:30, 10 hours, for 1,894,030₫.