By Air: You can fly from Bangkok to Udon Thani and then take a bus or train to Nong Khai and cross the friendhsip bridge into Laos and get your visa on the spot. You can also fly directly into Vientienne from Bangkok on several airlines but the flight is usually around 6-7000 baht roundtrip ($140 each person).

By Train: I rode the overnight train from Bangkok to Nong Khai and it was a blast. Your train leaves at about 8 p.m. and arrives in Nong Khai about 7 a.m. The only way to go is by first class sleeper. It costs 1,071 baht per person and includes your own private room with beds and a sink. After the first hour of eating and setting yourself up, a guy comes around to make your bunkbeds. For those of you who like fucking but not sleeping with your girl, this comes in handy. The train is extremely smooth and it is very easy to sleep there. The food is shitty so I advise you to bring some beer and something to snack on before you start fuckin' and sleeping. After a couple hours of fucking, you can sleep easily and wake up in Nong Khai.

Once there, you can take a tuk tuk(no taxi's) to the Thai exit immigration checkpoint. From there, they will stamp your passport and you take a bus accross the friendship bridge into Laos. Once you get your visa, you take a taxi to Vientienne which is about 40 minutes away.

I took the flight to Udon Thani which was about a 45 minute flight. I think the cost was around 50-60 USD.

After you leave baggage claim there is both bus and taxi service. The bus ticket counter is on your right and you buy a ticket for a hundred baht which will take you all the way to Nong Khai if you wish or will drop you at the friendship bridge, the option I took.

From the drop off point you can wait for a mini bus to fill up and ride this to the border or take your own cab. A Lao lady hired a taxi and invited me along for the ride free, so i don't know the cost of either one.

Also there are all kinds of touts at the drop off point offering their service to help you with your visa. You can get all required forms both immigration and customs at the border so I don't know why you would need their help. You are supposed to have 2 passport photos to enter Laos, which I forgot somewhere so didn't have. They still allowed me to cross by paying a US $1 fine. So maybe cheaper to always forget.

The previous trip i flew BKK-Luang Prabang. Visa on arrival at the airport in that case. Nice flight via Bangkok Airways as you stop in Sukothai airport which is BKK Airways hub and really a beautiful airport.

sabai dee (hello in lao)

Arrived in Vientiane on overnite bus fr Hanoi, Vietnam, 15usd. Land border crossing Cau Treo - Kaew Neua visa-on-arrival available, 35usd + 1usd for entry stamp. bring passport-size photo. Open 7a-6p.

From Vientiane to Vang Vieng, bus 40.000 kips. DD Travel & Ticketing on Norkeo Koummane has best prices. Guesthouses 40.000 kips

From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, bus 85.000 kips, 6.5 hrs. Many guesthouses for 80.000 kips