All aboard! High-speed train offers compelling new way to travel through Laos

The romance of train travel is alive and well in Laos. The recently-completed high-speed railway that stretches from Vientiane, through Laos, and into southern China is operating ‘full steam’ ahead.

This exciting journey takes you through remote villages and into the heart of rural Laos, offering up close and personal views of the Laos of today that you would not normally see on the roads.

Not only is this train journey an incredible visual feast, it dramatically reduces overland travel times between major towns and provinces. Traditionally, an overland journey by road between Vientiane and Luang Prabang would take up to eight hours. The new train journey cuts travel time down to a mere two hours, making this both more economical than the overland road and even flight options, and a lot more environmentally friendly!

The high-speed train makes stops at small towns and villages that were not easily accessible by road, opening up a whole new world of possibilities to discover and explore the serene, and what feels like trapped in time, provincial Laos.

One such town is the small quaint village of Mueang Xai, also known as Oudomxay which is located north of Luang Prabang in the Nam Ko river basin and surrounded by striking mountains. From Mueang Xai you can take a 45km drive to the Chom Ong cave with its thrilling … continue reading at The “Good Tourism” Blog.