Start of rail passenger, freight services scheduled for December 3

The inauguration of the Laos-China railway on December 3 will see the start of both passenger and freight transport, an official from the Laos-China Railway Company Limited told Vientiane Times on Monday.
All tests of the railway have now been completed and trains are ready to be put into service on Friday, she said.
China Radio International (CRI) reported that ticket prices from Vientiane to Phonhong will be 86,000 kip for a first class seat on an EMU train, 56,000 kip for a second class seat on an EMU train, and 40,000 kip for travel on an ordinary train.

Prices from Vientiane to Vangvieng will be 164,000 kip for a first class seat on an EMU train, 103,000 kip for a second class seat on an EMU train, and 74,000 kip for travel on an ordinary train.
From Vientiane to Luang Prabang the cost will be 313,000 kip for a first class seat on an EMU train, 198,000 kip for a second class seat on an EMU train, and 140,000 kip for travel on an ordinary train.
Tickets from Vientiane to Xay district in Oudomxay province will cost 443,000 kip for first class EMU travel, 279,000 kip for second class EMU travel, and 198,000 kip for a seat on an ordinary train.
Prices from Vientiane to Boten will be 529,000 kip for first class EMU travel, 333,000 kip for second class EMU travel, and 238,000 kip for a seat on an ordinary train.
Electrical multiple unit (EMU) trains will travel at a top speed of 160 kilometres per hour.
The EMU CR200J train has been painted red, blue and white to reflect the colours of the Lao flag. It has nine carriages including a locomotive, a dining coach, a first-class and six second-class coaches, providing 720 seats in total.
Eventually, the Laos-China Railway Company Limited plans to run two freight trips and two passenger services each day.
Use of the railway is expected to cut the cost of transport through Laos by 30-40 percent compared to travel by road.
It takes more than a day or even two days to drive from Vientiane to Luang Namtha by road, as this requires travel through the mountainous terrain in the north and takes much longer than travel by train.
The railway, which connects Vientiane to the Chinese border, slices through northwestern Laos, passing through the provinces of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Luang Namtha.
The track passes through 75 tunnels which have a combined length of 197.83km, constituting nearly half of the total route.
There are 10 passenger stations situated in Vientiane, Phonhong, Vangvieng, Kasy, Luang Prabang, Nga, Xay, Namor, Nateuy and Boten.  There are also 22 stations for the loading and unloading of freight.
Construction of the US$5.986 billion (37.4 billion yuan) railway began in December 2016.
The Laos-China railway combines China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative with Laos’ ambition to use its landlocked status to become a regional land link. The railway runs south from Kunming in Yunnan province, China, to Vientiane. The Lao section of the railway has been built according to Chinese administrative and technical standards.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update December 1, 2021)