China-Laos Railway doubles daily cross-border passenger services

KUNMING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China has doubled cross-border passenger train services between Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, and the Laos capital Vientiane on the China-Laos Railway starting Friday, according to China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd.

The move added one more pair of trains for cross-border passenger services on the China-Laos Railway, with departures now available from both Kunming Railway Station and Kunming South Station, boosting connectivity between the two nations.

The newly launched D86 train departs Kunming at 10:55 a.m. Beijing time, while the D84 service leaves Vientiane at 12:25 p.m. Beijing time. Both trains traverse 10 stations, with several stops in between, including Pu'er, Xishuangbanna and Mohan in Yunnan, and Boten, Muang Xay, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng in Laos. The entire journey takes approximately 10 hours, including border clearance.

Operating at speeds up to 160 km/h using the Fuxing bullet trains, the services feature dual-standard power sockets (Chinese and Lao) and trilingual passenger information (Chinese, Lao and English).

Railway authorities from both nations will adjust future schedules based on demand and enhance cross-departmental coordination to optimize service quality.

Since its inaugural cross-border service launch in April 2023, the railway has transported some 540,000 passengers from 115 countries and regions. ■