China-Laos Railway crosses 90-million-tonne freight milestone
The line now serves 19 countries and regions and carries more than 4,000 categories of goods, while trade value in the first half of 2026 rose 33.8% year on year.
- The China-Laos Railway has transported a total of over 90 million tonnes of freight since it began operating in December 2021.
- Of the total volume, more than 21 million tonnes were cross-border shipments, with the value of imports and exports in the first half of the year growing 33.8% from the previous year.
- The railway's cargo network has expanded to connect 19 countries and regions, and the variety of goods transported has grown from about 10 categories to over 4,000.
- This milestone was achieved through more than 80,000 freight train services, with operational efficiency improvements increasing the maximum hauling capacity per train to 2,800 tonnes.
The amount of freight carried on the China-Laos Railway has crossed the 90-million-tonne threshold, including more than 21 million tonnes in cross-border shipments.
China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. released the figures on Tuesday.
Imports and exports carried along the route in the first half of 2026 were valued at 17.17 billion yuan (about US$2.53 billion), 33.8% higher than a year earlier.
Rail authorities in China and Laos have tightened freight coordination and improved transport capacity and operational efficiency, supporting continued growth in cross-border volumes.
The line’s cargo connections now span 19 countries and regions.
These include Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh.
The range of goods has widened to more than 4,000 categories from just over 10 when operations began.
Figures for Tuesday morning put the cumulative number of freight train services at more than 80,000.
Cross-border operations accounted for over 23,000 of them.
According to an official at the Kunming Logistics Centre of China Railway Kunming Group, the daily number of cross-border freight trains has peaked at 23.
Maximum hauling capacity has risen from 2,000 to 2,800 tonnes per train.
Operating since December 2021, the railway connects Kunming in southwestern China with Vientiane, the Lao capital.
It has developed from a regional transport corridor into an international logistics link.
Source: China Daily
