Route 13 is the most important highway in
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
. It begins at
Boten in northern Laos at the Chinese border. It connects the city of
Vientiane to
Luang Prabang
Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...
in the north and roughly follows the line of the
Mekong River down to the border with
Cambodia. The road then continues at
National Highway 7
The following highways are numbered 7. For roads numbered A7, see list of A7 roads.
Route 7, or Highway 7, may refer to:
International
* Asian Highway 7
* European route E07
* European route E007
Afghanistan
* Kunduz-Khomri Highway (A7)
Alb ...
in
Cambodia. Route 13 passes the
New Laos National Stadium at
Vientiane prefecture and all three international airports in Laos
Vientiane Airport,
Luang Prabang Airport, and
Pakse Airport
Pakse International Airport is one of the few international airports in Laos. Pakse is the former southern capital city of the Kingdom of Champasak.
Facilities
The airport has been in use since 1959 and re-opened after renovations in 2001. A ...
. Between Boten and
Nateuy a 20 km segment of Route 13 is part of the
Kunming-Bangkok Expressway, (
Asian Highway AH3
Asian Highway 3 (AH3) is a route of the Asian Highway Network which runs from Ulan-Ude, Russia (on AH6) to Tanggu, China; and Shanghai, China (on AH5) to Chiang Rai, Thailand and Kengtung, Myanmar (both on AH2).
Southeast Asian issues
By mid ...
). From Nateuy to Vientiane, Route 13 is part of
AH12 and from Vientiane to the border of Cambodia,
AH11. It roughly parallels to
Vientiane-Boten Expressway.
Route 13 passes through the cities of Vientiane,
Vang Vieng,
Phoukhoune district
Phoukhoune is a district (''muang'') of Luang Prabang province in northern Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊ� ...
where is intersection of
Route 7 (Laos)
Route 7
of Laos, ເສັ້ນ ທາງ ເລກ 7 ຂອງປະເທດລາວ (ທ. 7) is a provincial road served from east to west in Xiangkhouang province, Laos. It runs from Nong Het in the east to Phoukhoune District in t ...
, and Luang Prabang. The road is mostly paved, though the pavement is in poor condition at places, it is relatively narrow with sharp curves and there are no markings or lighting on the road everywhere. Several daily buses run from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, taking 8–10 hours.
Travel in northern Laos
/ref>
File:Laos Route N13.jpg, N13 Milestone from Chinese border at Boten
File:Oudomxay.JPG, Laos Route N13 at Muang Xay
File:RueVangVieng2011-b.jpg, Laos Route N13 at Vang Vieng
File:NR13S, Laos.jpg, Laos Route N13 at Pakxan
File:Savannakhet1.JPG, Laos Route N13 at Savannakhet
References
{{Highways in Laos
Roads in Laos
Mekong River