Dancers welcome Chinese tourists on their arrival at Vientiane train station.

First Chinese tourists from Guizhou arrive in Laos by train

The first train travelling from Guiyang in Guizhou province, China, to Vientiane arrived in Laos on Thursday carrying 240 Chinese tourists and creating even stronger links between the two countries.

The group was welcomed on their arrival in Laos by representatives of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
The train left China for Vientiane at 2:40pm on Wednesday, marking a significant step in the development of high-quality tourism between Guizhou province and Laos, with the Laos-China Railway being a pivotal link in the process.
The inaugural train trip brought tourists to Laos from all over Guizhou province, with the first leg of the journey taking them to Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province, from where they travelled to Laos on the EMU “Lane Xang” train operated by the Laos-China Railway Company, bound for Vientiane on the same day.
After arriving in Vientiane, the group will take a tour of the capital, followed by a trip to Vangvieng district in Vientiane province, and then to the Luang Prabang world heritage site and other places of interest.
The week-long excursion gives the visitors the chance to enjoy Laos’ dramatic landscapes and cultural highlights.
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Laos-China Railway Company Limited and the Lao National Art Troupe organised an impressive show to welcome the tourists arriving on the “Lane Xang” train, which the group evidently enjoyed with some dancing along to the music.
A delegation from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism handed out champa flowers to the visitors, to acquaint them with the national flower of Laos, while railway staff posed for photos with the group upon their arrival.
Initially, weekly tours on this route will be scheduled once a month. The Laos-China Railway Company Limited and tourist authorities may increase the number of train trips depending on passenger demand.
The Laos-China Railway is a landmark symbol of the friendship between Laos and China and has been a great boost to the success of Visit Laos Year 2024.
The Guizhou-Vientiane route is a high-quality addition to the Laos-China tourist industry and a promising sign of exciting new developments in the years to come.
Since the end of 2023, the Laos-China Railway Company Limited and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism have sought to bolster tourism in Laos through greater use of the Laos-China railway.
This is being done by increasing the number of train trips and operating two trains together, making it easier for groups of tourists to buy tickets, creating an app that enables people to buy tickets online and developing more payment channels, and serving more food and drinks on trains.
Changes will be made to reduce the time taken to go through customs and immigration on the Laos-China border, while more stops will be added and other steps taken to improve the quality of train services.
The number of tourists coming to Laos via the Laos-China Railway is increasing every day, helping to fulfil the government’s ambition to rejuvenate the economy through tourism.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update May 10, 2024)