Pakse is a small city in Southern Laos.
The 'foreign center' in Pakse is compact and in this area are all western style guesthouses, restaurants, travel-agencies and the Vietnamese Consulat.
A perfect base to discover the rest of southern Laos: the 4.000 islands in the Mekong, Wat Phu, the Bolaven Plateau, Tat Lo, Attapeu. With direct buses to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Vientiane and Attapeu. Pakse is realy central located in southern Lao.
Pakse, the travel center from Southern Laos.
We have a lot of do-it-yourself information for all travellers who can manage their own trips.
Check this page when you are on your way to Pakse, or when you like to go from Pakse to "any destination".
Bolaven Plateau
Southern Laos.
Plateau des Bolovans
>> Travel Info >> Transportation > Bus Pakse
- The 5 different bus stations in Pakse,
- at km2 are the VIP buses to Vientiane, Bangkok and Ubon Ratchatani (Thailand) and Cambodiar.
- at the southern busstation (km8) are buses to 4.000 islands, Wat Phu, Tat Lo, Paksong, Attapeu, the local bus to Vientiane and international buses to Vietnam.
- at the Northern bus station are local buses to Savannakhet and Takhek.
- at the Big Market are in the morning some small buses to Paksong.
- Next to the Xe river a bus station with only 'King of Bus' buses to Vientiane (8 PM)
The VIP / international bus station in Pakse ( KM 2 )
At the International bus station NEAR the big market in Pakse arrives and departs VIP busses to
Vientiane, Bangkok and Ubon Ratchatani (Thailand). Pnom Penh (Cambodia)
- Vientiane.
Around 8 p.m. there are 2 VIP sleep busses to Vientiane, they arrive at 6 a.m. at the SOUTHERN busstation in Vientiane. Price is between 150.000 and 180.000 kip.
In Vientiane you can take special VIP sleep busses to Pakse, they are leaving around 8.30 p.m. from the SOUTHERN busstation. They arrive at 6 a.m. in Pakse, close enough to the big market where the local buses to Paksong are leaving.
From the other bus station in Vientiane are direct buses to Paksong / Attapeu (8.30pm) , they arrive in Paksong around 9am
- Bangkok and Ubon Ratchatani.
There are 2 VIP busses a day in the direction of Ubon Ratchatani, at 8.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. You can book tickets "everywhere" in Pakse and at the busstation. Price is 200 Baht. The trip is 3 hours including the 1 hour stop at the border.
Ubon is also the place where you have to change the bus when you book a ticket from Pakse to Bangkok.
Since September 2012 a new bus line connection to Bangkok is opened, price is 900 Baht and departs at 16.00 (32 sits bus)
Its also possible to book a ticket from Pakse to Bangkok "by train", this is a bus trip to Ubon and with the (night) train to Bangkok, transportation from the bus station to the train station is included.
From Ubon Ratchatani in Thailand are at the busstation next to the Big C and the Makro 2 times a day VIP buses (back) to Pakse. 8.30 or 9.30 a.m and 3.30 p.m. price is also 200 Baht. (30-11-2012)
In Ubon is also a MINI VAN to the Laos Border, Chong Mek (100 Baht, leaves every 60 minutes), on the Laos side from the border you can take another mini van to Pakse, price 100 baht and the mini van leaves when it is full.
From Bangkok are since September direct buses to Pakse, They leave at Munchit 2 busstation. Price is 900 Baht.
- Pnom Penh, Cambodia.
All busses to Cambodia stops at km2.
(30-12-2012)
Southern bus station in Pakse ( KM 8 )
- Si Pan Don (4.000 islands)
Latest bus to Si Pan Don (4000 islands) is at 12.30 a.m.
Don Khong is the biggest island, Don Det is the low budget island and and is connected with a bridge to Don Kon.
- Savannakhet and Vientiane
The local bus to Savannakhet and Vientiane, you have to know that this local busses are slow and that they stop many, many times to buy and sell everything what is possible.... Take this bus only when you know what you are doing, otherwise take the VIP bus to Vientiane at 8.30 p.m. from the international busstation, when you have to go to Savannakhet, ask the driver to stop in Savannakhet.
- Tat Lo - Saravan
During the day there are many busses to Saravan. They stop also near Tad Lo.
- Paksong - Attapeu
Until 4 p.m. there are a lot of small and big busses in the direction of Attapeu, those busses will stop also in Paksong.
At 3.15 p.m. the VIP bus to Attapeu leaves, this bus stops also in Paksong, Tatheng and Sekong.
The latest bus is most of the time around 5 p.m. and stops outside the bus station and that is the slow bus from Vientiane to Attapeu which stops also in Paksong.
"bus station" at the Big Market / New Market
- Paksong
From the big market in Pakse are local buses leaving to Paksong Between 6 am and 1.30 pm
- Chong Mek (Thai Border)
In the corner from the market next to the Friendship bridge is a songtow (15.000 kip) and some limousines (200.000 kip) to 'Chong Mek' .
From Chong Mek you can go by "truck" (40 Baht), by mini-van (100 Baht) or by taxi (900 - 1400 Baht) to Ubon. There is also a direct bus to Bangkok. They all start at the bus station 1 km from the border, except the taxi what is at the border itself.
(prices 5 Dec 2012)
It is possible to take the taxi to Ubon, stay the whole day in Ubon (with taxi) and drive in the afternoon back to the border, the border is closed at 19.00
last update
Apr 26 2013