Compare rides by city, keep Lao kip, and expect the official railway app to be fallible
Laos now has useful local apps, but availability changes sharply by city.
LOCA is the strongest general ride app and Green SM is a worthwhile electric taxi comparison where cars appear; KOKKOK Move is a lower confidence Vientiane alternative. Uber, Grab and Uber Eats do not operate. Foodpanda has active Vientiane coverage, while delivery elsewhere must be checked against the exact address. LOCA Pay is a no balance feature inside LOCA that lets an international card fund participating Lao QR payments, but as of August 2026 it adds 3% plus 5,000 LAK to each transaction.
Keep Lao kip for small businesses, rural travel and outages. The official LCR Ticket app can sell Laos China Railway tickets, but registration, regional download and card payment failures are still reported, so retain an office or accommodation fallback. Download two maps before leaving reliable internet and never treat a mapped rural line as proof that land is clear of unexploded ordnance. For emergencies call police on 1191, fire on 1190 or ambulance on 1195; Vientiane Rescue also uses 1623.
Licensed local ride app with verified drivers, trip tracking and coverage in five major Lao destinations.
Electric taxi app, formerly Xanh SM in Laos, offering a useful second ride quote where vehicles are available.
Vientiane focused electric tuk tuk and car app where passengers can propose a fare to nearby drivers.
The broadest verified food delivery choice in Vientiane, with active restaurant listings and live address checks.
Small Vientiane delivery alternative focused on local and international restaurants, with current mobile apps.
No balance payment feature inside LOCA that funds participating Lao QR purchases from an international card.
Useful for coordinating with some Lao accommodation hosts, tour operators and transfer drivers.
Useful offline companion for smaller Lao roads, trails and OpenStreetMap points beyond reliable mobile coverage.
Best general map for Lao businesses, accommodation pins, city walking and an initial route check.
Vientiane bus planner with routes, stops and live vehicle positions where operator data is available.
Useful written Lao fallback with downloadable offline data, but quality and available modes remain limited.
Official Laos China Railway app for schedules, ticket purchase, changes and refunds on the rail corridor.
Comparison and booking intermediary for selected Lao buses, minivans, boats and cross border routes.
Reliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Bring the original passport; a photo or photocopy may not be accepted.
Best choice for broad coverage, including rural areas.
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
Good-value option when price matters most.
The weakest network here; choose it only for a clear price advantage.
The essential apps for Laos are LOCA, Maps.me, Google Maps, LCR Ticket.
We've curated 13 apps across 9 categories for traveling in Laos, including 4 essential apps.
LOCA is the top-rated ride hailing app in Laos. Licensed local ride app with verified drivers, trip tracking and coverage in five major Lao destinations.
Use official entry portals, keep cash, and match each island with the right app
Use local ride apps, official entry portals, and current border advice
Check official warnings, plan every route, and keep cash and offline backups
Use Grab widely, treat Touch 'n Go card and eWallet as separate tools, and verify every terminal
Register eTravel, keep pesos, and download maps before moving between islands
Fast, English-friendly travel where cards work widely, but local QR still needs care
