It's easy to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane (or vice versa) by train, using the daily overnight sleeper train direct from Bangkok to Nong Khai and a special connecting international shuttle train from Nong Khai to the new international rail terminal at Thanaleng in Laos, some 13 km outside Vientiane. The train uses the new rail link over the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong river into Laos, opened on 5 March 2009. You can then go to central Vientiane. It's safe, cheap and comfortable. Alternatively, you can still travel between Bangkok & Vientiane the old way, using any of the Bangkok-Nong Khai trains, then making your own way by bus or taxi between Nong Khai & Vientiane. This section explains both options.