The Laos-China Railway opened in December 2021, and I would have tried to get a ticket on the inaugural trip had the borders been open. I was in Thailand when Laos reopened on the 9th of May, so I took the opportunity to visit shortly thereafter. I have written a trip report from a traveller’s […]
Laos
Vientiane construction update – 2022 edition
Vientiane has some big projects lined up in order to attract more investment in the capital. Like most cities in the region though, Vientiane was hit hard by the extended international border closure during the pandemic. Laos reopened in May 2022 (over two years since the borders closed), and I went to Vientiane shortly thereafter […]
That Luang Lake SEZ – Vientiane Laos
That Luang Lake SEZ is a new urban area in Vientiane designated as a special economic zone. Also referred to as That Luang Marsh Specific Economic Zone, the area of 365 hectares is expected to accommodate up to 300,000 people. The development is centred around a round ornamental lake, and there are plans to build […]
Future Boten – The gateway city on the Laos-China border
Boten is a town in Northern Laos on the border of China. It is one of the main entry points for freight from China to Southeast Asia, and it has been designated as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). A casino opened in Boten in 2002 to attract gamblers from China (where gambling is illegal in […]
Vientiane BRT – Urban Transit System
Vientiane has a proposed to build a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system as part of a planned sustainable transport system for the city. This page includes links and resources to any planned urban transit systems that are proposed for Vientiane. Other proposals in the past have included a Light Rail Transit (LRT) and a commuter […]
Current and proposed railways in Laos
In December 2021 Laos began operations of the Laos-China Railway from Vientiane to Boten, launching the era of railway travel in Laos. There are other lines that have been proposed which would connect Laos to Thailand, Vietnam, and maybe even Cambodia if the most ambitious proposals are realised. This page covers current and proposed railways […]
Vientiane – Vung Ang Railway
The Vientiane – Vung Ang railway is a proposed railway that would connect Vientiane in Laos to the Vung Ang seaport in Vietnam. Vung Ang is the closest feasible seaport to Vientiane, thus the railway would enable landlocked Laos access to a deep seaport for shipping. The railway would also interchange with Vietnam’s North-South railway, […]
Hanoi – Chiang Mai Railway
The Hanoi – Chiang Mai Railway is an unofficially proposed railway that would connect Hanoi (Vietnam) to Chiang Mai (Thailand), via Luang Prabang (Laos). There are a number of long-term planned railways for Laos, but a Hanoi to Chiang Mai railway is not one under consideration. The railway proposal is via a map from China, […]
Four Thousand Islands New Area – The Sithandone SEZ in Southern Laos
Four Thousand Islands New Area is a new urban development in Khong district, Champasak province, Laos. This nearest city is Pakse, 140km away. The Four Thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) is an archipelago of islands in the Mekong River, near the Laos-Cambodia border. Also known as the Sithandone SEZ, this special economic zone will cover […]
Laos-China Railway – The Boten-Vientiane railway in Laos
The Laos-China Railway (also known as the Boten-Vientiane railway) is a new railway that connects Kunming in China to Vientiane in Laos. From Boten on the China/Laos border, the railway travels 414 km through Laos to the capital of Vientiane. Apart from the border shuttle operated by the State Railway of Thailand, this is the […]
