<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-02-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000888504</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LAYNE CHRISTENSEN CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LAYN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001017043</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OBUS NELSON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1510</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7191</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">6,501 of the shares reported are held directly by the Reporting Person and 690 of the shares reported are held indirectly by the Reporting Person.  The 690 shares held indirectly by the Reporting Person are held by Wynnefield Capital Management, LLC, a New York limited liability company (&quot;WCM&quot;).  WCM is the sole general partner of Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the &quot;Partnership&quot;).  The Reporting Person is a co-managing member of WCM, and by virtue of his positions with WCM and the Partnership, the Reporting Person has the shared power to vote and dispose of the reported securities owned by the Partnership.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jerry W. Fanska, Attorney-in-Fact for Nelson Obus</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
