Cramped, overloaded and often extremely uncomfortable, Lao buses are profound tests of endurance and patience. Breakdowns are commonplace and in the rainy season, unpaved roads dissolve into rivers of mud, slowing buses to a crawl. On some buses, the driver permits male passengers to ride on the roof, but women should defer to Lao customs and refrain from doing the same . As there are no public toilets in Laos, it's perfectly acceptable for passengers to relieve themselves in the open during breaks on long journeys - Lao women usually bring along a sarong for such occasions. However, keep in mind that many areas are still plagued by unexploded ordnance , so it's not wise to make a lone dash for the trees.

Ordinary buses run between major towns and link provincial hubs with their surrounding districts. Operating out of Vientiane, a fleet of slightly more comfortable blue, government-owned buses caters mostly to the capital's outlying districts, although it does provide a service to Vang Viang and Pakxe. Buses plying long-distance routes tend to be in worse shape and can be either classic buses or souped-up tourist vans. Throughout the south and along the Vientiane-Louang Phabang route, the transport mainstay is a converted Russian flat-bed truck.

Except for buses out of Vientiane, Savannakhet and Louang Phabang, when you should buy a ticket from the bus station before boarding, it's common practice to pay on board . Timetables only exist in Vientiane, Louang Phabang and Savannakhet; elsewhere it's best to go to the bus station the night before to find out the schedule for the next day. Where there is no information, you should get to the bus station between 6 and 7am, as that is when most Lao passengers prefer to travel. Very few buses leave after midday . Even though they're scheduled, long-distance buses won't depart if empty. Route 13, however, sees a steady flow of bus traffic and it's usually possible to flag down a vehicle during daylight hours.