What You Need To Know BEFORE You Ride The LAOS CHINA RAILWAY (don't make this mistake!)
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- Опубликовано: 29 дек 2023
- This was one of the nicest and budget friendly high speed trains I have ever taken! The Laos China Railway was inaugurated in December of 2021 and has made a HUGE impact on Laos's transportation systems. What used to be a 5hr bus ride can now be done in a 1hr train ride through the mountains (literally). But before you think about taking this railway journey, there are some things that you should know and some things are quite unexpected, so I hope you will find this video helpful in planning your trip and knowing what not to pack in your suitcase to avoid any troubles!
Kyle and Jess's video about their railway experience: • DISASTER on the Laos C...
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Great to see Laos benefit from Chinas Belt And Road.
Hi Alex, Happy New Year 2024 to you from New Jesery.
You are fucking joking
Get the boat
Lao railway is difficult to build, every miles it maybe hit bomb below. I heard 8000 bombs were dropped along this railway line during USA war with Vietnam. Fortunately you all enjoy the journey.
The building of this high speed rail was made very difficult not just because of the tough terrain but by unexploded bombs in the Laotian countryside.
The officially neutral country became a battleground in the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, with American bombers dropping over two million tons of cluster bombs over Laos-more than all the bombs dropped during WWII combined. Today, Laos is the most heavily bombed nation in history. The U.S. bombing of Laos (1964-1973) was part of a covert attempt by the CIA to wrest power from the communist Pathet Lao, a group allied with North Vietnam and the Soviet Union during the Vietnam War.
In Laos, the legacy of U.S. bombs continues to wreak havoc. Since 1964, more than 50,000 Laotians have been killed or injured by U.S. bombs, 98 percent of them civilians. An estimated 30 percent of the bombs dropped on Laos failed to explode upon impact, and in the years since the bombing ended, 20,000 people have been killed or maimed by the estimated 80 million bombs left behind.
Hopefully the building of this railway as part of the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) will enhance trade with China and other parts of South East Asia and improve the lives of the citizens of this land-locked, beautiful country.
Very true. Absolutely horrific what they’ve been through.
Ho chi Minh trails branching into Laos where bombings occurred.
What…Chinese infrastructure meets US bombs?
you met Alina somewhere in one of her videos, you must miss her
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I did the bus ride from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang and back and it was indeed brutal, one of the windiest roads I've been on. Also there seemed to be something wrong with the bus because it was going ridiculously slow the whole time, so of course took longer. Great to know about the new train, I'd love to go back and revisit sometime.
the buses always go super slow in Laos, all of my journeys took at least double the advertised times
The buses are not of developed countries' quality. The ones I saw, and sat in one of them at the bus terminus, were all not new, i.e. looks like over 3+ years old. They are probably under-powered vehicles. And the one I sat on, I suspect due to the roads condition it has travelled on, were dusty, and it gave a metal-rubbing squeaking sound over even small road humps, corners, etc.
I took it nearly 6 years ago. It was an experience that I pray would not happen in my life again. I had not anticipated the physical stress and therefore not prepared for it. (For older people, who may need to visit the loo more than the young, it would certainly be necessary to wear adult pampers).
I would advise those foreign travellers who have not "enough time" to book in advance for the train ticket or are unsuccessful in securing the train ticket for whatever reasons, to take private "taxis" instead that ply those venues instead of taking the bus!
I enjoyed riding that train a few months ago. First time I went to Laos the only way to travel between LP and Vientiane was a very long bus ride, now it is so much easier.
Yeah that would honestly sounds like such a rough time, glad this option exists now.
@@AlinaMcleod the longest bus ride I took was between Vientiane and Hanoi, over 36 hours at that time 😱
@@Hm-ky3nu YIKES
- Where are we, Dad? - Oh, I don't know 😆 It always turns out funny when you two travel together! 👍 I just checked, the train is actually China-made, by the huge CRRC company. Interesting, I'll definitely try it when in Laos.
cant blame your dad can never remember those names 😁😁😁😁
The BRI by China does benefit a lot of countries along the way.
Harriet and I remember when the Chinese were planning the Laos China Railway . Having friends from Lao taking its inaugural run from Vientiane to Luang Prabang just a few years ago.
It's a game changer for travel. Harriet and I are planning a trip in December 2024 to visit. Sounds like you guys had a great time there. Hope you guys go back again when you have more
time. Lots more to see. Alina, Gordy ,Family and Friends, Wishing all a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year 2024 🍸🍸🍸 Harriet, Jim and Yuki
Do you know the U$ has given Laos a very super world record as the most bombed nation on earth?
And I remember when China was planning to build this railway line for Laos, many westerners are saying China is trying to debt trap Laos. Now we see many westerners are enjoying this railway ride in Laos.
Hahaha~if you choose to believe what American told you then you are on the way towards devastation.
Thank you so much and happy new year to you as well! You guys will have a fantastic time visiting there again!
Sending you and your Dad so much love and wishing you the happiest New Year yet! We are so grateful for you and all the great info and to see the wonderful relationship you have together!😘
Thank you for your visitation and conveying your touched experience to new guests of the country.
A really great video. Looking forward to your next ones!
Thanks for sharing, awesome video as always. I enjoy the live streams too, keep up the good work. I hope you like making the videos as much as I like watching them.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful trip Alina. I will surely try this train when I am in that beautiful place
Thanks for sharing Alina. I surely will try this train when I’m in Laos. Cheers!
I've been to Laos 2 times and I love this country. It's great fun. About 12 years ago, I took the bus from the China border to Luang Prabang, it was a Chinese mining company bus. Quite an adventure. The bus ride from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and onward to Vientiane, is quite long and tortuous. Winding roads and potholes large enough to swallow full grown elephants. In contrast this train is luxury and I'll certainly use it in the future.
My other trip was Don Det and 1000 Islands and then to Pakse and a motorbike loop around Bolaven Plateau. So much fun. The bus from Pakse to Vietnam (Kontum/Gialai) was interesting as well.
Laos is so comfortable. I don't think you can purchase beef in Laos, instead they serve water buffalo which is maybe even better.
Now I saw many foreign tourists visiting Luang Prabang not just for the UNESCO tourist spot but also for the nice western food there
That wouldn't be possible without the convenience of the HSR train
Happy New Year Alina to you and your Dad! It certainly looks like a great train ride. I’m following your videos from Maricopa, Az where we escape from the Calgary winters - this year Calgarians have been blessed with a pleasant winter - so far! Continue to enjoy your travels and thank you for sharing!
Great video, very informative. I like your positive attitude.
It’s crazy because this is what i mentioned in the comments on your last video that this is how I found out about Laos 🇱🇦 was because of the railway.And now you tried the train ride😅.
I certainly enjoy your video! Glad you’re enjoying your travel and with your dad! Will have to check this train out when I visit Laos in April 2024. Happy new years and take care eh 😂
Thank you and likewise!
Nice video Alina, Happy New Year😀
Impressive coverage 👍🏻
Great presentation and thoroughly professional. Alina, my wife and I are going to Laos in July thanks mainly to your reporting. Love the insights of your father who appears to be a down to earth guy. Thanks once again and keep up the great work. Also liked your Sri Lanka report.
My pleasure! Have a great trip!
Thanks for sharing, amazing video
How beautiful are these train stations!
Very nice video,hope to try this train someday.
great video i have been to China many. years ago . so its so interesting to learn more about the railway travels
Thank you for your nice videos.
Happy New Year for 2024! 😀
Thank for your sharing such a informative video. Thank You
Great video Thank you for sharing 👌
Very useful and beautiful video 👍👍❤
Wishing you and your family happy new year! It’s been so lovely to follow your travels and chat with you live from time to time. Your dad is such a trooper with some of the tough adventures! I’ll be looking forward to your new travel videos!
Thank you so much! A very happy 2024 to you as well!
Great video 😊
Wow! I would like to try this train! Nice video. Happy New Year Alina and dad forr a fantastic 2024 and everything you wish!!❤🌲⭐️🌲⭐️🌲⭐️🌲
Will have this experience this afternoon, but straight from LP to Vientiane. Thank you for the information on the security process which I heard of from some people living here as well.
Great video Alina and great comparison between first class and second class train travel. Both rates were really reasonable in US dollars.
Happy New Year ‼️and thanks for your beautiful contents. You are Looking gorgeous .
Were still waiting for High Speed Rail here in the US. I don't think we will ever get them, though.
Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world. The US one of the richest, yet, Laos has high-speed railway and the US doesn't. The US should cooperate with China to build a HSR in the US.
@@silveriver9they rather eat junk then cooperate with CN.
They can do it with JP but not have intention to do it.
@@silveriver9it is politically impossible
You are right.
@mabo9636 If the US gov puts aside its ego, then it's possible. If not, then it's obvious that the US doesn't care about its own ppl. Not what one might call a democracy. How ironic. But then again, the US is a plutocracy.
A very good job, Alina!❤
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Great info !!
Laos 🇱🇦 looks very beautiful & affordable Alina. Thank You for sharing all your travel experiences & Happy New Year ! 🍾
It certainly is. Thank you and Happy New Year to you as well!
Hi Alina, thank you for making this video. Me and my family took the train from Kunming South Station, got off in Luang Prabang and then took it to Vang Vieng and Vientiane later in the trip. Absolutely very fast and smooth journey ,with spacious and clean seats. Since we took off in China, most passengers were Chinese. Glad to see tourists/solo-travellers are benefiting from this infrastructure!
That's awesome!
@@AlinaMcleod please remember that Taiwan is part of China, so why isn't Taiwan part of your thumbnail?
Good video from you and your dad ❤
Thank you for visiting us ❤
Very very nice and kind girl traveling together and taking care of her dad!
Glad to see your Dad along with you. Enjoy his company (as I did my Mom's) because life is short.
happy new year friend Alina 😊
Thanks for info. Just subscribed!
Thank you very much!
Welcome to Laos 🇱🇦 and have fun 🎢!
Will be taking the LCR soon. Hoping the ticketing process goes smoothly, but at least I have a spouse fluent in Lao to help sort it out.
Thanks for stopping by Laos sister
Thanks Alina .Hope you and your dad are having a good time. I see it nice down there up here to double digits anywayu on a Rock and roll Train ACDC.
Hello Alina,
Hoping all is well. It was really nice meeting you and your dad in Luang Prabang and again in Vang Vieng.
My husband and I took the LCR from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and we had no problem simply because we had been told about the rule of not carrying aerosol over 100ml. However from Vang Vieng to Vientiane our hotel recommended we take the bus because the train arrives in Vientiane away from the downtown area whereas the bus drops you off right in the center, which for us was more convenient and overall an easy enough ride.
Safe travels !
A couple from Montreal.
Hi Alina happy new year 2024 , to you and dad/mom enjoying you trip. And I ❤❤❤ your clips very much….
I wimped out and flew from LP to Vientiane. It was like a 50 minute flight. LP is a little airport and had no security queue. Airports in LP and Vientiane are both close to the city--actually probably both in the cities proper. Will have to try the train when I get the opportunity.
Laos did very well with the new train, consider they never have train before this, thanks for cooperation with the supplier. Win-win example.
🚄🚄Great info 👍
Always happy to see your face ❤
Awesome train.
Thank you for visit Laos
I've not been on this train line, but I've taken the trains in China. If you can get your visa in order, you should try taking the train all the way to China next time, and it passes through numerous ethnic minority areas on the Chinese side that you can explore. They are now building an extension of this train line to Bangkok, and the plan is for it to reach Singapore one day, but that's still a long way away.
That is super cool!
Is it official that China is building the HSR for Thailand? I remember I read the news that Vietnam decided that they had enough with the Japanese (10 yrs and still no HSR) and officially signed deal with China to build the HSR from China to Vietnam then connect to all the countries in South East Asia, maybe no Philippines because they are not part of the mainland of Asia.
@@eggheadegghead I don't know about the HSR in Vietnam, but the Hanoi Metro was built by China, while the HCMC Metro is being built by Japan right now.
Thailand is richer than Laos, so they are financing their own section of the HSR, but the technology and technical expertise is being provided by China. The Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima section is already under construction, and they are now trying to secure funding for the Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai section from Parliament. The bridge from Nong Khai to Vientiane will probably be the last to be constructed because that requires a three-way negotiation between China, Thailand and Laos.
@@eggheadegghead And speaking of which, China actually plans to turn Bangkok into the main rail hub of mainland Southeast Asia. So if all of China's proposals come to fruition, route via Laos will be only one of three railway lines from China to Bangkok. They're also proposing a western line via Myanmar, and an eastern line via Cambodia and Vietnam. All three lines are supposed to converge in Bangkok, then continue south towards Malaysia and Singapore. But it's probably going to take decade if these are realised, and I probably won't be around to see them.
@@eggheadeggheadChina to provide Thailand for the technology assistant and Thailand to secure it with her own finances. However it is progressing slower than expected. At least another 5 years needed for the phase one
Nice vlog
Considered that is their only pride and new mean of transportation, Obviously they want to keep the travel as safe as possible.
Happy new year McLeod Family from my RUclips channel to yours!
Take care now!
❤
Wow, what a train ! And beautiful , clean rail stations, looks like a great country ! 😊😊😊
ride the train 🚂 love 💕 it. can’t wait to go back to Laos 🇱🇦 again.
I'm sold on this video
Wow! Super strict. Thanks for the heads-up
Happy New Year from New Zealand 🎉 Stay safe, normally the earthquakes spreading around the Ring of fire.
nice video
I traveled a lot in German ICE 1st, 2nd, 3rd gen and French TGV several generations for long distances and travel times up to 6 h, first and 2nd class. 1st class is a 1/2 seat configuration, 2nd class a 2/2 seat configuration. When I did see the 2nd class on the train in Laos with a 3/2 seat configuration it made me think of budget airline seating - narrow seats for slim people. The trains also run on normal gauge and the carriage cross-section is the same as in Europe. If you turn in your seat, you bump into your neighbor in 2nd class. So I would prefer 1st class when traveling and taking photos or videos as you need the space turning back and force for bets camera perspective.
Chinese carriage is a little bit wider than most European ones about 20 cm if I am not in mistake
Thanks!
Aw thank you so much for the super chat and glad you enjoyed the video!
Just got back from pretty intensive journey from Laos 9 weeks ago. Just a quick question, I got confused , did you stay overnight in Vang Vieng or did you swap 1st to 2nd class. I found Vang Vieng pretty interesting as being an Australian 74 yrs young with military service. this area has so much history re the Vietnam War and the CIA spooks had a major base there with Air Amercia. Maybe as your a youngster and Canada had no involvement in this action I think you missed a great spot. Had great opportunities for paragliding, zip lining , canoeing and tubing.Food was good. Thanks I enjoy your journeys as I relive my times through your journeys throughout Asia; my ols stomping ground.
This is great! First Laos then Indonesia also getting high speed train. Good for those countries development and easing the pain of traveling between cities in hours. I wait to see what Laos has beside Luang Prabang.
@TH-dr1kgI guess their option only 2:
Do nothing and bankrupt soon or do this and bankrupt in unknown future.
They gamble everything here.
@TH-dr1kgWhat color is your bullet train? 🤣🤣 You mean don’t be like India? 🤣 don’t worry, we will never copy india. We will do exactly the opposite of what india does to achieve success
@TH-dr1kg do nothing and no bankrupt?
Laos is landlocked country and probably the poorest SEA country.
They rely heavily to neighbors country like Thailand, Vietnam and China.
@TH-dr1kg Lol. Such a give away that you are indian. Lol. Indians love to ask “where you’re from, who is we etc”. All I would like to tell you that I or we are not from China and we can see how China is way ahead and better than your and they do real business instead of interfering with a country’s internal affair. How is your Japanese hsr project in india doing? Making money🤣🤣🤣🤣 First complete at least 10km first. The Chinese Bandung hsr started same time but has long completed and Indonesia is now the first in south east asia
@TH-dr1kg because only very few country want to invest or have a deal with Laos.
Laos is communist and poor while Sri Lanka not communist and poor.
Your choice of background music is just great. Your Dad seems to enjoy every bit of the journey.
Hello Alina and your Dad, Red GOATS(greatest of all time) over Red Bull😊. Train looks very modern, roomy and clean . Glad you both enjoyed the journey.
lol is that actually what it stands for??
very good train
A huge financial undertaking for Laos, hopefully it's successful - Laos was never on my radar so far to visit, but looks like a great place to!
Your dad is happy to travel with you 🎉
The Chinese believes in the Win Win principle, since China is the factory of the world developing it's neighbors and improving their economies increases it's neighbors purchasing potential and buy products back from China.
Wow I like Laos And China.From Thailand.
Like your dad. One line answers. Crisp. To the point. lol
Nice video Alina!
-Love from India
Laos is getting more tourists 😊
VIDEO GOOD Welome to Laos
Welcome to Laos, beautiful land 🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🌹🌹🌹🌹
Hi Alina! 😄🙏👋🌟 I hope your having a magnificent day! This is a super fantastic video! 😁👍❤️👏📹🇱🇦🚅💺🛤🥇💯💫✨🌟 Wow! The LCR high speed train looks really amazing! Also the interior of the trains looks very nice! Thank you very much Alina to share with us this excellent video. You are the best and greatest world traveler adventurer! 😃👍👏✈️🚅🌎📹🥇💯🏆💫🌟 I wish you Alina and your Dad a wonderful marvelous fantastic blessed day. 😊🙏❤️👋👍✨🌟
Thank you so much!
I miss Laos
China sangat luar biasa👍🙏😊
Happy new year to both of you and your dad!! 😀 and in Ukrainian🇺🇦 How you say it is novym rokom vas I vashoho tata!! 😀
Hello welcome to Laos 🙏❤️👍🌹🇱🇦🎉
Hello,keep safe always
Does anyone know if it is okay to bring pump sprays rather than aerosols, i.e. the type of spray that doesn't involve compression/propellant? And do they allow bottles of liquids like shampoos on board?
Must have been so annoying for you to have to hunt down new bug spray and sun screen! At least you had those Red Goats to power you 😂
Nice video, 🙏. Pocket 3? How do you like it?
It’s actually the 2 but I will be getting the 3 when I’m back in Canada!
I understand the security issue is an over-kill. however, it's nessesary, for example like wearing a seatbelt, most ppl in their whole life will not get into any traffic accident, but once you do, seatbelt saves your life. same goes to the secruity, if one, just one guy brings explosives onto the train and caused fire and havoc, the whole train will explode and cause mass casualties. there is maybe 1 in a million chances for this, but.... it's good trade off IMO.
Good to see you tried the high speed rail in Laos, a useful innovation only opened about 1 year ago and built by china, much safer by rail than poorly maintained roads and vehicles, good to see it, how does it compare to via rail in Canada?✌️❤️🇬🇧
Very true. Canada's Via Rail was a bit nicer interior wise if you're asking about their new trains and sells better food/drinks but it still doesn't hold a candle to what Japan has going on.
@@AlinaMcleod via rail new carriages do look good, what is rural Laos like compared to the cities?
not actually high speed operating at 160 km/h, but still will be a game changer for Laos!
This rail was put into operation on Dec 3, 2021.
Cash payment was available to collect boarding ticket at City ticket center？
FYI the Red goats is the original and Red bull is the copy.
Welcome. Again India. Alina
Welcome to laos
Red Goats! I got it at a Chinese grocer in Bangkok earlier this year thinking it was Red Bull just like you! 😂
Are you coming back to Pai? Hope so, I live in Pai, maybe see ya here.
Sadly not this trip!
很高兴看到你又从新回到了旅行的路上，记录生活热爱生活。生活不止眼前的苟且，还有诗和远方。