China-Laos Railway international passenger traffic grows over 50%
Passenger journeys reached 244,000 from January to August, alongside increased seating and stronger demand for tourism and business travel.
- In the first eight months of the year, the railway's international service handled 244,000 cross-border passenger journeys, a rise of over 50% from the same period last year.
- The growth in traffic was supported by expanded capacity, with daily passenger crossings increasing from an initial 300 to a high of 1,640.
- Since the international passenger service began in April 2023, it has transported a total of 926,000 passengers from more than 120 countries and regions.
- The increased passenger flow has boosted local economies, resulting in a more than 35% increase in consumption at scenic spots, hotels, and catering businesses along the route.
International rail travel between China and Laos expanded sharply in the first eight months of this year, generating 244,000 cross-border passenger journeys.
The result was more than 50% above the same period last year, China Railway Kunming Group Co. announced on Wednesday.
Cross-border passenger operations now rank among the railway’s principal growth drivers.
The increase in traffic has coincided with expanded capacity.
Seat availability has risen from 250 at the service’s launch to 420, while daily passenger crossings have moved from about 300 initially to a high of 1,640.
The timetable now provides four international trains a day, with the shortest journey lasting nine hours and 36 minutes.
Completing customs procedures at Mohan railway port takes about 50 minutes.
The summer travel rush from July 1 to September 1 brought more than 57,000 entry and exit movements through Mohan railway port.
They involved travellers from 72 countries and regions and were more than 51% higher than a year earlier.
Passenger clearances topped 1,100 on the busiest day.
International passenger trains began linking Kunming South Station in Southwest China’s Yunnan province with Vientiane, the Lao capital, in both directions on April 13, 2023.
By Monday, 3,789 cross-border services had carried 926,000 passenger journeys involving travellers from more than 120 countries and regions.
The service has made travel and tourism between the two countries more convenient.
The full railway has operated since December 3, 2021, and covers 1,035 kilometres between Kunming and Vientiane.
It connects tourist cities including Kunming, Xishuangbanna and Vientiane, together with more than 560 scenic spots.
Demand has continued to grow for cross-border tourism, study tours and business travel.
China Railway Kunming Group Co also reported an increase of more than 35% in consumption across scenic attractions, hotels and catering businesses along the route.
Source: Vientiane Times
