China-Laos Railway handles over 18 mln tonnes of cross-border cargo

KUNMING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Since commencing operations in December 2021, the China-Laos Railway has transported over 18 million tonnes of cross-border freight, according to China Railway Kunming Group Co.

Freight traffic on the railway has continued to grow steadily. In 2025 alone, the railway handled 5.46 million tonnes of cross-border cargo, up 14 percent year on year.

The upward momentum has continued this year, with daily cross-border shipments averaging about 15,000 tonnes.

According to railway authorities, the range of goods transported has expanded significantly. In the early days of operation, the railway carried just over 10 types of cargo, mainly fertilizers and general merchandise. Today, it handles more than 3,800 varieties, including electronics, photovoltaic products and cold-chain fruits.

The railway's cross-border freight network now reaches 31 provincial-level regions in China and extends to 19 Belt and Road Initiative partner countries, including Thailand and Vietnam.

Stretching 1,035 kilometers from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to the Lao capital of Vientiane, the China-Laos Railway commenced operations on Dec. 3, 2021. To meet growing demand for cross-border travel, international passenger train services between Kunming and Vientiane were introduced on April 13, 2023.