The Laos-China Railway has recorded rising numbers of passengers making local trips on both sides of the border.

Cross-border passenger transport on Laos-China Railway expected this year

Cross-border passenger trains on the Laos-China Railway are expected to come into operation this year due to growing demand, according to Xinhua.
The railway has recorded rising numbers of passengers making local trips on both sides of the border since its launch on December 3, 2021.
But cross-border passenger trains have not yet been operational because of Covid-19 restrictions, unlike cargo transport, which has been ongoing since the official opening.
The expected start of cross-border passenger trains will follow China’s easing of travel restrictions.
On January 8, China opened its border with Laos for people passing through the Boten-Mohan international border crossing between Luang Namtha and Yunnan provinces.
As of Tuesday (January 31), the Laos-China Railway had operated 20,000 passenger trains and handled 10.3 million passenger trips since its launch, Xinhua reported, citing the China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd.
The railway handled 8.7 million passenger trips in the China section, with daily passenger numbers hitting 65,000. Meanwhile, 1.6 million passenger trips were made on the Laos section, with the number of daily travellers reaching 8,800.
“Passenger volume on the China-Laos Railway has continued to grow, and service quality has greatly improved,” the deputy stationmaster at Kunming Railway Station, Zheng Bin, was quoted as saying.
“The railway plays a positive role in providing convenient and efficient travel for the people of the two countries.”
The number of stations in Laos that can handle passengers has increased from seven initially period to 10 at present.
The Laos-China Railway connects Kunming in southwest China’s Yunnan province with the Lao capital Vientiane. The 1,035-km railway is a landmark cooperation project under the Belt and Road Initiative.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update February 3, 2023)