Vientiane railway station explained

Vientiane Railway Station
Native Name:ສະຖານີ ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ
Native Name Lang:lo
Symbol Location:cn
Symbol:rail
Symbol Location2:cn
Symbol2:crh
Address:Don Noun, Xaythany district
Borough:Vientiane Prefecture
Country:Laos
Owned:Laos–China Railway Company Limited (LCR)
Manager:Lao National Railway State Enterprise (LNR)
Operator: CR Kunming
Line:Boten–Vientiane railway
Platforms:3
Tracks:5
Connections:Bus 12 (Central Bus Station, Khamsavath Station)
Structure:At-grade
Levels:2
Parking:Available
Bicycle:No
Accessible:Yes
Architect:China Railway Construction
Architectural Style:Laotian & Chinese
Status:Staffed, Open
Electrified:25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line
Other Services:Cargo trains towards Vientiane South cargo terminal

Vientiane railway station is a railway station in Vientiane, Laos. It is the second station on the Boten–Vientiane railway.[1] The largest and most important station on the line,[2] the station was opened along with the rest of the line on 3 December 2021.[3]

Design

Located 15 km northeast of central Vientiane,[4] the station building sits on of land and has three platforms and five tracks as well as a station hall that can accommodate 2,500 passengers.[2]

The station's theme is the City of Sandalwood, reflecting the original meaning of "Vientiane". The building is based on traditional Chinese architecture combined with Laotian environmental characteristics. The facade features eight tree-branch-shaped eaves, meant to evoke a tropical rainforest.[5]

Services

As of April 2023, the station has four services per day: two via Luang Prabang to Boten at the Chinese border, one to Luang Prabang only and one to Kunming South.[6]

Future expansion

All tracks at the station are standard gauge, so the station does not serve the existing narrow-gauge railway from Thailand to Laos, which terminates at Khamsavath railway station. The standard gauge Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway, scheduled for completion in 2028, may eventually extend to Vientiane station, completing the Kunming–Singapore railway.[7]

In 2022, the Vientiane Times announced that Laos intends to build a new standard-gauge railway from Vientiane to the port of Vung Ang in central Vietnam.[8]

Connections

The Vientiane city bus 12 connects the station to the Central Bus Station, Patuxai Monument and the Khamsavath railway station. It costs 20,000 kip for adults and half the price for children, and is about an hours ride into the city.

Tuk-Tuks and ride hailing services are also available at the station.

References

  1. Web site: 网易 . 2019-12-18 . 中老铁路-新建铁路磨丁至万象线四电工程施工总价承包中标结果 . 2022-10-05 . www.163.com . Chinese.
  2. Web site: 7 October 2021 . Lao capital station of China-Laos Railway makes debut . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221026174212/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/2021-10/07/c_1310230219.htm . 26 October 2022 . Xinhua.
  3. News: Thevongsa . Phoonsab . Cao . Ella . 3 December 2021 . China and Laos open $6 billion high-speed rail link . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927045057/https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/china-laos-open-6-billion-high-speed-rail-link-2021-12-03/ . 27 September 2023 . 5 October 2022 . Reuters . en.
  4. Web site: How to travel by train, bus & boat to & within Laos | Bangkok-Vientiane by train . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240115025108/https://www.seat61.com/Laos.htm . 15 January 2024 . The Man in Seat 61.
  5. Web site: 10 October 2021 . Completed Vientiane station on track for Laos-China Railway opening . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211012093611/https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2021/10/10/completed-vientiane-station-on-track-for-laos-china-railway-opening . 12 October 2021 . The Star.
  6. Web site: Express Train for Laos-China Railway . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530122053/https://laostravel.com/express-train-for-laos-china-railway/ . 30 May 2023 . laostravel.com.
  7. Web site: Clark . James . 23 November 2020 . Bangkok–Nong Khai High-Speed Railway . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202030234/https://futuresoutheastasia.com/bangkok-nong-khai-high-speed-railway/ . 2 December 2023 . Future Southeast Asia.
  8. Web site: Kishimoto . Marimi . 2 April 2022 . Laos' logistics vision for ASEAN: All rails lead to Vientiane . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240221150907/https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Transportation/Laos-logistics-vision-for-ASEAN-All-rails-lead-to-Vientiane . 21 February 2024 . Nikkei Asia.