Laos forum

I went to the bus station to buy a bus ticket for the next day as I guessed it would be just a 'local bus' and cheaper. It wasn't either of those. I just went to the bus stop at 'x' time and got put on a minibus which took us to the other bus station with all the other foreigners. In fact, because they booked in town, they knew where to go and got there first / best seats. The price was no different either - bus station or guest house. Might have even been more from station. You don't have to worry about it being VIP either, it was probably the worst bus I've ever been on.

That was late 09 so might have changed now or perhaps It was just a one off. Despite the actual ride being bad, it wasn't so bad overall as plenty of people to speak to.

think there are 2 bus stations in VV. one in the north at GP194 in this map: http://hobomaps.com/VangViengAreaMap.html
& the other opposite the southern end of the disused runway at HJ196 of the same map, labelled as 'tourist bus station'.
christay - did you buy your ticket from the former or the latter?

like what christay described...many reports of tourists being sold tickets for the VV-VTE VIP tourist bus that turns out to be a battered ordinary bus. once saw such a bus crawling along HWY13

perhaps you could go to the northern bus station & try your luck there...don't buy a ticket in advance - check what type of bus is the next one leaving & whether you are allowed on it first, before buying your ticket. if people there refuse to let you take the non-tourist bus...you could try what #3 did, walk out to HWY13 & wait along the road to flag down a passing bus. but there won't be many in the morning...the buses from Bokeo & Phongsaly to VTE might pass through VV early in the morning (exact time highly unpredictable)...apart from those you'll probably have to wait till early aftn for the first of the Phonsavan-VTE & more frequent (one per hour or so) Luang Prabang-VTE buses to pass through.

VV-VTE ordinary bus fare should be ~30,000kip (maybe more given how fuel prices have risen).

Posted from within Vietnam.

Yup, that's a typical bus trick! The local bus we got drove straight down Sethathilat Road so we just jumped out and walked.

Could always try leaving the bus station and attempt to get a tuktuk out on the street???

I'm pretty sure I just followed my tourist hoard friends onto a bus to town. I don't remember it being as much as 20k though. Even if it was... what's $2.50?

further to #9...a ride in a shared tuktuk for the same or even longer distance in VTE costs 3000-5000kip for locals. but even locals are charged 20,000kip for the ride into town from the northern bus station.

once there was a family from the north who got on my VTE-bound bus in the countryside north of Vang Vieng. they were heading to Mahosot hospital in VTE to seek medical help. clearly far from well off from the way they were dressed & the few belongings they had, they couldn't even read the letter (in Lao script) referring them to the hospital & had no idea where to go (their first time travelling beyond their village - all wide-eyed at the vehicles & buildings of VTE). & they didn't have the 50,000kip (fare for 2 adults + 1 kid) to get from VTE northern bus station to Mahosot hospital (near the morning market & Hor Pha Keo).

this 20,000kip fare is also steep for Lao friends living/working in VTE...they either get a lift on a friend's motorbike or walk all the way out.

Stuff like this happens everywhere in SE Asia.

In Krabi town, there is a 100 bhat bus waiting to bring you to the centre of town or for those who do some easy searching there is a songthaew that brings you for 10 bhat.
Most tourists just get hoarded like sheep from place to place and pay the money asked for.

And really there's nothing wrong with that. I mean 100 bhat isn't much money. It's really just annoying that in each city you have to figure out that days scam like a puzzle. Maybe it's fun and annoying at the same time. haha

I just always remember not to let it ruin my day. Certain bus companies run their whole operation, especially in Vietnam, by selling cheap tickets and then they get commission from all the food, toilet and hotels they drop you off at. I try not to stay at their hotels because they're usually outside of town, and it can be annoying being dropped off at them while they lie saying they're in the centre of town.

But hey...that's just the way it works and I'm not gonna change it, so if I can avoid what I want to avoid I will....and not stress about it

"Could always try leaving the bus station and attempt to get a tuktuk out on the street???"

Of course you can. The price is the price and I laugh at those p[osters who think they are being extorted. If you don't want to pay the price, do as Christay says and walk a 100 metres down the road and grab a tuk tuk. Is that so hard?