Is it better to go to Laos for an ED visa application without an agency?

Tues Wed ;) The companies are there on Monday and there again on Thursday.

Its basically the same, just no waiting around for large groups

Yes udon Thani is nearer

As we said before, the nearest airport to the border is Udon Thani, one hour by road. Chiang Rai is far away from Vientiane.

Khon kaen or chiangrai

There's no airport in Nong Khai.

Collecting your passport at the Thai Consulate in Vientianne the day after you apply for your visa is very organised and quick. The majority of people have a return flight booked for that evening and manage to catch it. Best way to ensure you have adequate time to catch your flight is to get to the Thai Consulate very early in the morning on the day you lodge your visa application. The order in which you lodge your application ie your number in the queue determines how quickly you will get your passport back the next day. Be at the Consulate gate before 7.00am, have all your paperwork ready, ignore the touts at the gate. Be on time to collect your passport the following afternoon. Travel only with carry on luggage, check in for your flight online. All helps to save time

I arrived at the consulate at 9am and got number 472. I booked my return flight in advance at I think 9pm so even if I was the last one collecting my passport, I could have made it.

@Patrik *******

but we gotta suffer for many different ride.. and you can’t predict what time to collect back the passport and cant book the flight in advance!! That’s good and bad!

Yes, the good thing about this is, you only need to stay one night.

The shuttle service/mini bus from Udon Thani airport is very organised 150 baht. Takes about an hour and delivers you directly to the friendship bridge in Nong Khai. You walk the first short distance, then get on the waiting big bus on the bridge about 20 baht. Walk through Lao immigration and take tuk tuk to Vientienne approx 30 mins

@Jay *****

When you come out of the arrival hall at Udon Thani airport go to the counter "Limousine Service" and get a van for 200 Baht to the border. Go through immigration and take the border bus for 20 Baht. Go trough Laos immigration and take a Songthaew to the consulate.

Once you passed the border, you can share a van or a songtaew with others to Vientiane. Generally songtaew is 50 baht per person, van 100 baht. You can also ask them to drop you wherever you want in Vientiane.

@Jay *****

in Udon Thani airport they have a van service that takes you directly to the border for 200 baht

How many transfers do you need at Udon Airport and how much do they cost? I'm thinking about 4... Once you land at Udon Airport you need to get a Taxi from Udon Airport to Udon Bus Terminal, then from there Bus to Nong Khai, then Nong Khai to Laos border, then Tuktuk from Laos to Vientiane/your hotel?