Traffic in Laos

Hello everyone,

Which city or area do you live in in Laos, and how do you find the traffic?

How long does it take to commute to work or run errands?

Is there a rush hour in your city? What times of the day would you recommend people to avoid driving if they can?

Are there any ways to avoid spending too much time in traffic in Laos?

What is parking availability and cost like?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

In Vientiane traffic is diabolical. Time wise it is not to bad getting around but roads are very busy. Construction traffic, cars, tuktuks, and heaps of motorbikes make driving an adventure.
Rush hours are mornings as people head to work and kids on motorbikes head to school. Same in afternoons.
Parking is hard to find and often around the bigger international schools parents will double park when waiting to pick up their children.
In spite of this I find Lao drivers do not have the aggression of westerners.
One needs to relax and accept the status quo.

When I first came to Lao 12 years ago it took me 20 minutes to get home from work. Now it takes one hour plus. The traffic at peak time is horrendous. Sunday morning is the best time to drive around as there is very little on the road.
In contrast to Stumpy I find Lao drivers very aggressive and impatient. They pass on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic and scare the wits out of me.