Transportation in Laos
Encyclopedia
This article concerns systems of transportation in Laos. Laos
is a country in Asia
, which possesses a number of modern transportation systems, including several highways and a number of airports. As a landlocked country, Laos possesses no ports or harbours on the sea, and the difficulty of navigation on the Mekong
means that this is also not a significant transport route.
, the Don Det - Don Khon narrow gauge railway, was built by the French
while Laos was a part of French Indochina
. The railway crossed over the islands of Don Det and Don Khon, enabling vessels, freight and passengers to travel along the Mekong River. The railway was abandoned and fell into disrepair, although some of the infrastructure is still in place. In the late 1920s
, work began on the Thakhek - Tan Ap railway, that would have run between Thakhek
, Khammuan Province and Tan Ap Railway Station
, Quang Binh Province
, Vietnam
through the Mu Gia Pass
. However, the scheme was eventually aborted in the 1930s
.
In January 2007 work began on a 3.5 km extension of the metre-gauge State Railway of Thailand
network across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge to Thanaleng Railway Station
, a new passenger and freight terminal in Dongphosy village, 20 km east of Vientiane
. Test trains began running on July 4, 2008, and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
of Thailand
formally inaugurated the line on March 5, 2009. As of November 2010, Lao officials plan to convert the station into a rail cargo terminal for freight trains, allowing cargo to be transported from Bangkok into Laos at a lower cost than would be possible with road transport.
In 2007, the Laotian Ministry of Transportation entered into discussion with Vietnam to discuss the possibility of opening a new railway line from Thakhek
in Laos
through the Mu Gia Pass
to Tan Ap Railway Station
in Vietnam
's Quang Binh Province
, on the North–South Railway. The proposed line would continue to the coast at Vung Ang, a port in Ha Tinh Province, which would provide landlocked Laos with access to the South China Sea
. According to plans established by ASEAN, the line may also be extended via Thakhek all the way to the Laotian capital Vientiane
. Both Laos and Thailand have expressed interest in the project as a shorter export gateway to the Pacific Ocean.
In October 2010, plans were announced for a 530 km railway linking Vientiane to Xishuangbanna, in Yunnan
province in China
. Construction is expected to begin in 2011, for completion in 2014. There are plans to extend this railway south from Vientiane to Bangkok
. In April 2011 it was reported that construction of the railway has been postponed indefinitely, while the Chinese minister of Transport and Railways has been arrested on corruption charges.
Laos has constructed a new highway connecting Savannakhet
to the Vietnamese border at Lao Bao, with funding coming from the Japanese government http://www.langara.bc.ca/pacrim/laos.html. This has greatly facilitated travelling across Laos. This highway can now be traversed in a few hours, while in 2002 the trip took over 9 hours along a very bumpy (and scenic) route.
Laos is connected across the Mekong to Thailand by First and Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges. Vientiane is linked to Udon Thani using the First Friendship Bridge. The Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge began construction in March 2009 linking Nakhon Phanom province in northeastern Thailand and Khammouan province in Laos.
Laos opened a highway connection to Kunming
in April 2008. The Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge
is under planning to be completed by 2011 linking Kunming to Bokeo, Laos and Chiang Rai
. It will reduce the travel time to 5 hours. This is a cooperation between Thailand, China and Laos.
and its tributaries. There is an additional 2,897 km, which is sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m.
In terms of sea travel, Laos has a merchant marine consisting of 1 cargo ship
of .
s, of which 9 have paved runway
s, and 43 do not. Of the airports with paved runways, only Wattay International Airport
has runway length over 2,438m which is necessary to accommodate jumbo jets. Of the remainder, four have runways 1,524 to 2,437 m length, and a further four of lengths between 914 and 1,523 m. Of the airports without paved runways, 1 has runways of length above 1,524m, 17 have runway lengths between 914 and 1,523 m, leaving 25 with length below 914m.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
is a country in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, which possesses a number of modern transportation systems, including several highways and a number of airports. As a landlocked country, Laos possesses no ports or harbours on the sea, and the difficulty of navigation on the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
means that this is also not a significant transport route.
Railways
Rail transport does not play a significant part in Laos's transport sector, since the country largely lacks the required infrastructure. A short portage railwayPortage railway
A portage railway is a short and possibly isolated section of railway used to bypass a section of unnavigable river or between two water bodies which are not directly connected...
, the Don Det - Don Khon narrow gauge railway, was built by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
while Laos was a part of French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
. The railway crossed over the islands of Don Det and Don Khon, enabling vessels, freight and passengers to travel along the Mekong River. The railway was abandoned and fell into disrepair, although some of the infrastructure is still in place. In the late 1920s
1920s
File:1920s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Sean Hogan during the Irish Civil War; Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol in accordance to the 18th amendment, which made alcoholic beverages illegal throughout the entire decade; In...
, work began on the Thakhek - Tan Ap railway, that would have run between Thakhek
Thakhek
Thakhek is a town in south-central Laos on the Mekong River and facing Nakhon Phanom across the river in northeastern Thailand. It is the capital of Khammouane province....
, Khammuan Province and Tan Ap Railway Station
Tan Ap Railway Station
Tan Ap Railway Station is a railway station on the North-South Railway line in Vietnam. It serves the town of Tân Ấp in Quang Binh Province. From 1933, the station also served as a terminus of the Tan Ap - Xom Cuc railway, the only stretch of railway opened as part of the aborted Thakhek - Tan Ap...
, Quang Binh Province
Quang Binh Province
Quảng Bình , formerly Tiên Bình under the reign of Le Trung Hung of the Lê Dynasty, this province was renamed Quảng Bình in 1604) is a province in the North Central Coast of Vietnam....
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
through the Mu Gia Pass
Mu Gia Pass
The Mu Gia Pass is a mountain pass in the Annamite Range between northern Vietnam and Laos, located 90 km northwest of Đồng Hới, Vietnam. The pass is 418 m above sea level and connects Route 15 from Tân Ấp in Vietnam to Route 12 in Khammouane Province in Laos....
. However, the scheme was eventually aborted in the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
.
In January 2007 work began on a 3.5 km extension of the metre-gauge State Railway of Thailand
State Railway of Thailand
The State Railway of Thailand is the state-owned rail operator in Thailand. The network sees around 50 million passengers per annum.-History:SRT was founded as the Royal State Railways of Siam in 1890...
network across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge to Thanaleng Railway Station
Thanaleng Railway Station
Thanaleng Railway Station, also known as Dongphosy Station , is a railway station in Dongphosy village, Hadxaifong district, Laos, east of the Lao capital city of Vientiane and north of the border between Laos and Thailand along the Mekong River. The station opened on March 5, 2009, becoming part...
, a new passenger and freight terminal in Dongphosy village, 20 km east of Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
. Test trains began running on July 4, 2008, and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is the second daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thais commonly refer to her as Phra Thep, meaning "princess angel." Because her title in Thai is the female equivalent of the title held by her brother, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, she is informally referred...
of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
formally inaugurated the line on March 5, 2009. As of November 2010, Lao officials plan to convert the station into a rail cargo terminal for freight trains, allowing cargo to be transported from Bangkok into Laos at a lower cost than would be possible with road transport.
In 2007, the Laotian Ministry of Transportation entered into discussion with Vietnam to discuss the possibility of opening a new railway line from Thakhek
Thakhek
Thakhek is a town in south-central Laos on the Mekong River and facing Nakhon Phanom across the river in northeastern Thailand. It is the capital of Khammouane province....
in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
through the Mu Gia Pass
Mu Gia Pass
The Mu Gia Pass is a mountain pass in the Annamite Range between northern Vietnam and Laos, located 90 km northwest of Đồng Hới, Vietnam. The pass is 418 m above sea level and connects Route 15 from Tân Ấp in Vietnam to Route 12 in Khammouane Province in Laos....
to Tan Ap Railway Station
Tan Ap Railway Station
Tan Ap Railway Station is a railway station on the North-South Railway line in Vietnam. It serves the town of Tân Ấp in Quang Binh Province. From 1933, the station also served as a terminus of the Tan Ap - Xom Cuc railway, the only stretch of railway opened as part of the aborted Thakhek - Tan Ap...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
's Quang Binh Province
Quang Binh Province
Quảng Bình , formerly Tiên Bình under the reign of Le Trung Hung of the Lê Dynasty, this province was renamed Quảng Bình in 1604) is a province in the North Central Coast of Vietnam....
, on the North–South Railway. The proposed line would continue to the coast at Vung Ang, a port in Ha Tinh Province, which would provide landlocked Laos with access to the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. According to plans established by ASEAN, the line may also be extended via Thakhek all the way to the Laotian capital Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
. Both Laos and Thailand have expressed interest in the project as a shorter export gateway to the Pacific Ocean.
In October 2010, plans were announced for a 530 km railway linking Vientiane to Xishuangbanna, in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Construction is expected to begin in 2011, for completion in 2014. There are plans to extend this railway south from Vientiane to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. In April 2011 it was reported that construction of the railway has been postponed indefinitely, while the Chinese minister of Transport and Railways has been arrested on corruption charges.
Highways
In Laos, there are 21,716 km of highway, of which 9,673.5 km are paved, leaving 12,042.5 km unpaved. Driving in Laos is on the right.Laos has constructed a new highway connecting Savannakhet
Savannakhet
Savannakhet or Kaysone Phomvihane is a city in western Laos and the capital of the Savannakhet Province, previously known as Khanthabouli . This is the second-largest city in Laos, after Vientiane. The city is birthtown of Kaysone Phomvihane, former president of Laos, and was named after him in...
to the Vietnamese border at Lao Bao, with funding coming from the Japanese government http://www.langara.bc.ca/pacrim/laos.html. This has greatly facilitated travelling across Laos. This highway can now be traversed in a few hours, while in 2002 the trip took over 9 hours along a very bumpy (and scenic) route.
Laos is connected across the Mekong to Thailand by First and Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges. Vientiane is linked to Udon Thani using the First Friendship Bridge. The Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge began construction in March 2009 linking Nakhon Phanom province in northeastern Thailand and Khammouan province in Laos.
Laos opened a highway connection to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
in April 2008. The Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge
Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge
The Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge is a project to link the Chiang Rai Province of Thailand and Ban Houayxay in Laos. Currently, the parliament has already approved and accepted this project.-Size:...
is under planning to be completed by 2011 linking Kunming to Bokeo, Laos and Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai
-Demographics:Official Population count: According to the Thailand National Statistical Office, as of September 2010, Chiang Rai municipal district has a population of 199,699...
. It will reduce the travel time to 5 hours. This is a cooperation between Thailand, China and Laos.
Water transport
About 4,587 km of navigable water routes exist in Laos, primarily the MekongMekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
and its tributaries. There is an additional 2,897 km, which is sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m.
In terms of sea travel, Laos has a merchant marine consisting of 1 cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
of .
Airports
Laos possesses 52 airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s, of which 9 have paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s, and 43 do not. Of the airports with paved runways, only Wattay International Airport
Wattay International Airport
-Ground transportation:Access to airport by taxi, car and tuk-tuk. A taxi rank is located outside the main arrival hall.-Accidents and incidents:*On 24 March 1976, Douglas C-47A XW-TAF and C-47Bs XW-TDF and XW-TDR or Royal Air Lao were damaged beyond economic repair in a storm.-External links:* *...
has runway length over 2,438m which is necessary to accommodate jumbo jets. Of the remainder, four have runways 1,524 to 2,437 m length, and a further four of lengths between 914 and 1,523 m. Of the airports without paved runways, 1 has runways of length above 1,524m, 17 have runway lengths between 914 and 1,523 m, leaving 25 with length below 914m.
External links
- UN Map of Laos
- News site regarding rail in Laos
- Map of railways in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam - does not show Thailand or China
