China-Laos Railway cross-border ridership steadily rising

KUNMING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Passenger trains via the China-Laos Railway have gained growing popularity among a diverse range of travelers, owing to their cost-effectiveness, convenience, and comfort.

As of Oct. 15, the China-Laos Railway had handled over 600,000 cross-border trips for travelers from 115 countries and regions since the launch of the passenger train service in April 2023, according to China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. on Thursday.

Among them, approximately 204,000 cross-border passenger trips were recorded this year alone, indicating a year-on-year increase in the railway's cross-border ridership.

Stretching 1,035 kilometers from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, the China-Laos Railway commenced operations on Dec. 3, 2021. To meet growing cross-border travel demand, the railway authorities of China and Laos launched international passenger train services between Kunming and Vientiane on April 13, 2023.

In July this year, an additional pair of international passenger trains was added to the route, bringing the total number of daily round-trip services between Kunming and Vientiane to four. Concurrently, the number of seats available per cross-border train has been increased from the initial 250 to 420, enabling the railway to handle over 1,400 inbound and outbound passengers daily.

In response to the sustained demand for cross-border travel and exchange, the two countries' railway authorities will proactively optimize operational plans and service standards, ensuring the railway continues to meet the growing needs of its passengers.