China-Laos railway on track as it marks first anniversary
By XU WEIWEI in Hong Kong | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-04-14 19:43
As China and Laos marked the first anniversary of the launch of cross-border passenger railway services on April 13, both sides have added another pair of trains to the China-Laos Railway's international passenger service.
The newly added trains run between Xishuangbanna in the southernmost tip of Yunnan province on the Chinese mainland and the town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos, both of which are popular tourist destinations.
According to China State Railway Group Co, the additional trains will initially operate four days weekly -- every Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The entire trip covers six stations and takes about five hours, enabling passengers to make a round trip in a day. Tickets can be purchased online and offline.
Saturday marked one year since the launch of the China-Laos Railway's international passenger service between Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province, and the Laotian capital, Vientiane.
Wang Chang, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Vientiane, attended a ceremony in the Laotian capital hosted by the China-Laos Railway. Laotian Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suansavanh Viyaket and Director-General of the Laos-China Railway Liu Hong were also present.
As a high-quality landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative, the 1,035-kilometer China-Laos Railway began international passenger services on April 13 last year. Within a year, the railway has handled more than 180,000 cross-border passenger trips involving travelers from 87 countries and regions.
Wang said the China-Laos Railway highlighted the effectiveness of the "golden corridor". This year is "Visit Laos Year" launched by the Laotian government to coincide with the country assuming the chairmanship of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Wang believes the China-Laos Railway will play an important and irreplaceable role in showcasing Laos's traditions, customs, culture and economic achievements, as well as promoting regional personnel exchanges.
