Train from Kunming, China to Luang Prabang, Laos 2024

A small update on non-air travel possibilities between Laos and China! Foreigners are allowed to take the train from Kunming to Luang Prabang with ease, save for some inconveniences involving baggage security: on the train, we had to get off, send our bags through security, and formally leave China, and then make another stop 10 minutes later to do the same thing to formally enter Laos. As such, make your baggage accessible and easy to carry during this process!

We took the train on January 5, 2024, with first-class tickets as they were the only ones available. The seating was comfortable and funnily enough much quieter than the economy-class seats we usually get. There are several other cities the train passes through in China that you can also board from, but ticket availability is truly variable and you should buy your tickets in advance and do your research!