Wattay International Airport sits only a few kilometres west of central Vientiane, so the ride into town is short — usually 15 to 20 minutes outside rush hour. There is no rail link; you choose between a prepaid taxi, the public airport bus, or a ride-hailing app. All three leave from right outside the arrivals exit.
Taxi coupon counter
The official taxis work on a prepaid coupon system. Inside the arrivals hall, before you step outside, there is a taxi counter where you tell the staff your hotel or area, pay the posted flat rate for a car or a larger van, and receive a coupon. You hand the coupon to the driver at the taxi stand outside — no haggling, no meter. The rate board is displayed at the counter, so check it there rather than trusting a number from a blog, because it changes.
Airport bus (No. 44)
A public airport shuttle, the white-and-green bus number 44, runs between the airport and the city's central bus station by the morning market. It is the cheapest option and takes around 35 minutes with stops. Departures are infrequent — roughly every one and a half to two hours during the day — so if your flight lands early in the morning or late in the evening the bus may not be running. The timetable is posted at the stop outside the terminal; check it before deciding to wait.
Ride-hailing with LOCA
LOCA is the Lao ride-hailing app that works at the airport. Install it and register before you fly (it needs a phone number for a verification code, so have roaming or an eSIM active on landing), set the pickup to the arrivals area, and the fare is shown before you confirm. It is usually a little cheaper than the taxi counter and the driver's car is identified in the app. Have some Lao kip ready in case the driver prefers cash.
The app that does not work
inDrive, which many older travel blogs still recommend for Vientiane, has been blocked in Laos since May 2025 and does not work here. Do not plan around it. Grab and Uber do not operate in Laos either. KOKKOK Move and Maxim are the other local apps, but LOCA has the most drivers at the airport.
Before you leave the terminal
The arrivals hall has SIM-card counters and currency exchange; the exchange rate is usually better in town, so change only what you need for the ride. Korean, Japanese and Thai passport holders enter visa-free for 30 days — there is no visa-on-arrival queue to join. If you are heading straight to Vang Vieng, the Laos–China Railway station is on the opposite side of the city, so allow extra time for that transfer.