China-Laos Railway facilitates cross-border travel

KUNMING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos Railway has safely handled over 50 million passenger trips since its launch on Dec. 3, 2021, according to the railway operator.

A flagship project within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the 1,035-km railway links Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province and the Laotian capital of Vientiane. It has significantly enhanced regional connectivity, boosted regional economic growth, facilitated people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and demonstrated great development potential as a golden transport corridor.

The China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. said that as of Friday, it had operated 71,000 passenger train trips on the railway, serving more than 480,000 international travelers from 112 countries and regions worldwide.

The railway operator has observed sustained growth in passenger traffic, with monthly ridership surging from 600,000 people during the initial operational phase to 1.6 million across the entire route.

Railway authorities from China and Laos have partnered with tourism departments to promote international travel services along the railway, bringing vigor to tourism-related industries, including scenic spots, hotels, and restaurants near the route, according to the company.

Moreover, the China-Laos railway's service upgrades now feature multilingual support, including Chinese, Lao and English, through translation devices at stations and onboard trains, alongside health-focused amenities such as portable blood pressure monitors.