The Vientiane-Boten Expressway, linking Laos’s capital to Boten in Luang Namtha Province, is expected to be completed by 2030, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith announced during a welcoming ceremony for Xu Hao, Vice Governor of China’s Yunnan Province, on 24 September in Vientiane.
Boten, located on the Laos-China border opposite the Chinese town of Mohan, will be connected to Vientiane through this major infrastructure project, which forms part of the broader Laos-China cooperation framework.
The expressway will extend from the existing Vientiane-Vang Vieng section, Laos’s first expressway, which opened in December 2020, covering 109 kilometers, onward to Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, and finally Boten.
The segment from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang has completed its survey and preliminary design phase, while the section from Oudomxay to Boten received government approval for construction in mid-2024.
Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay highlighted the strategic importance of the expressway in enhancing connectivity, boosting trade, and strengthening people-to-people exchanges.
Together with the Laos-China Railway, the expressway will significantly improve transport efficiency, shorten travel times, and facilitate the movement of goods and people, delivering substantial benefits to both nations.
The Vientiane-Vang Vieng section alone has reduced travel time from about 3.5 hours to just one hour, greatly enhancing tourism and commerce.
The full Vientiane-Boten Expressway will span approximately 440 kilometers and, once completed, will operate under a 50-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.