Road Network
Laos is a landlocked country, and therefore relies on its neighbours, Vietnam and Thailand, for seaport services.
The Lao Road network is estimated at about 59,647 Km, with only about 23% paved (concrete or tar). In general, more than 60% of the total national roads are classified as in poor or bad condition. Most of the provincial and district roads are inaccessible during the rainy season. It is estimated that more than 40% of villages are 6 kilometer or more from a main road and nearly half are nor accessible during the rainy seasons. Road transport is the most used mode for freight transport, accounting for more than 95 percent of total freight transport.
For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List.
Distance Matrix
Travel Time from Capital City to Major Towns (hours) |
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Oudomxay |
Luangpabang |
Xiengkhuang |
Khammouan |
Savannaket |
Champasak |
Saravan |
Attapue |
Vientiane Capital |
11 hours |
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Vientiane Capital |
|
7 hours |
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Vientiane Capital |
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7 hours |
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Vientiane Capital |
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6 hours |
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Vientiane Capital |
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8 hours |
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Vientiane Capital |
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11 hours |
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|
Vientiane Capital |
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12 hours |
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Vientiane Capital |
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15 hours |
Road Security
Traveling in Laos is generally safe with exception of some areas in the North where precautions should be taken. UN Humanitarian missions to be briefed by UNDSS before travel. Field staff to be informed by local authorities. Vehicles often do not have lights and animals stray onto the roads. The number of road accidents in Laos has risen sharply in recent years along with the increase in the number of motor vehicles, especially motorbikes.
Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits
Weighbridges are supervised by the Department of Transport under Ministry of Public Work and Transport. Unfortunately, existing weigh stations on national roads do not adequately enforce vehicle axle controls, while provincial and rural roads lack such stations.
Weigh stations do not generally inspect vehicles for dimension limits or roadworthiness, and there does not appear to be any existing procedures for testing and certification of weighing devices used for the enforcement of vehicle weights. Truck overloading, although having significantly declined in recent years due to increased enforcement, is a problem in some areas, for example, close to quarries, mines, or cement factories and timber extraction, often in remote areas.
All roads under the GMS project are all-weather roads and in good condition. These roads were designed axle as outline below. However, the rest of the domestic network can only support lower loads typically below 8.5 metric tons
Maximum Gross Weight limits (metric tons)
Axle Load Limits |
Rigid Truck |
Simi-Trailer |
Trailer |
---|---|---|---|
2 axles 4 wheels |
9.5 |
|
14 |
2 axles 6 wheels |
14.10 |
|
16.1 |
2 axles 8 wheels |
|
|
18.2 |
3 axles 6 wheels |
16 |
|
|
3 axles 8 wheels |
17.5 |
|
|
3 axles 10 wheels |
23.2 |
23.2 |
|
3 axles 12 wheels |
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|
27.3 |
4 axles 8 wheels |
20 |
|
|
4 axles 12 wheels |
27.2 |
|
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4 axles 14 wheels |
|
32.3 |
|
5 axles 18 wheels |
|
41.4 |
|
6 axles 22 wheels |
|
49.6 |
|
Road Class and Surface Conditions
Breakdown of Surface Types of Roads in Laos |
|
---|---|
Road Types |
Length (Km) |
Concrete |
855 |
Asphalt concrete |
1,357 |
Tarred |
11,785 |
Gravel |
24,798 |
Earth |
20,852 |
Total |
59,647 |