China News Service, Kunming, January 26 (Reporter Xie Yike) — On January 26, it was learned from the China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. that since 2024, the number of passengers on the China-Laos international passenger train has increased, with the occupancy rate reaching 93.1%. Starting from that day, the railway department has increased the cross-border seats on the train to 350 to meet the travel needs of cross-border passengers.

The photo shows the "Lancang" bullet train in operation on the China-Laos Railway (file photo). (Provided by China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd.) The international passenger train service on the China-Laos Railway, which runs between Kunming in China's Yunnan Province and Vientiane, the capital of Laos, has become the preferred choice for domestic and foreign travelers visiting China and Laos for tourism, study, business, and cultural exchange since its launch. As of now, the international passenger train service on the China-Laos Railway has transported over 125,000 passengers from 75 countries and regions, with the majority being from Laos, Thailand, and Singapore. The main purposes for entry and exit are sightseeing, leisure, visiting relatives and friends, and employment and business. With the recovery of the tourism market, the China-Laos Railway not only facilitates domestic tourists traveling abroad but also provides transportation support for more foreign tourists visiting China. Starting from the winter of 2023, Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos, as well as Xishuangbanna and Pu'er in China, have attracted a large number of tourists from Southeast Asian countries and China. The number of tour groups choosing to enter and exit through the Mohan Railway Port has gradually increased. The railway department reminds that during the Spring Festival travel season, there is a strong demand for cross-border passenger travel. With the increase in cross-border seats on the international passenger train service of the China-Laos Railway, "taking the bullet train to Laos and the high-speed train to see China" will become a new choice for more people pursuing "poetry and distant places." (End)

[Editor: Huang Yuhan]