Rail line linking Laos sees passenger, cargo growth

The China-Laos Railway has played a robust role in bolstering passenger and cargo transportation over the past four months, greatly facilitating travel and helping promote the China-Laos Economic Corridor, according to China State Railway Group.

As of Sunday, about 2.25 million passengers and 1.31 million metric tons of cargo had been transported on the line since its opening on Dec 3.

With a length of about 1,000 kilometers and starting in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, the line travels south to end in Vientiane, capital of Laos. The transnational route is adapted to Chinese standards and equipment and is connected to China's national railway network.

It has shortened the traveling time between cities along the route, leading to an increase in the number of daily passengers, the national rail operator said.

An average of 47 passenger trains run the section in China on a daily basis, carrying a total of 2 million passengers over the last four months. In Laos, two pairs of trains each day have transported some 224,000 passengers so far.

China Railway Kunming Bureau Group and China-Laos Railway have analyzed passenger travel patterns to optimize transport resources and services.

In response to the needs of tourists in Laos, operators have extended advance ticket sale time and opened ticket stations in major cities across the country to facilitate travel.

The State railway group said the volume and category of goods transported also continue to increase. The line serves as a convenient and efficient logistics channel between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, greatly reducing transportation times and logistical costs.

Goods from 10 countries and regions, including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia and Singapore, are delivered by the line, which strongly promotes economic and trade exchanges along its length, China State Railway Group said.

Since launch, 2,023 cargo trains have transported 1.31 million tons of goods, 427 of them internationally. The latter services transported over 310,000 tons of cargo during the period.

The volume of goods rose from 170,000 tons in the first month of operations to 360,000 tons in the fourth month, and extends to over 100 categories.

Operators have carefully organized maintenance to ensure the international transport channel's safety. While strictly implementing epidemic prevention and control measures in both countries, operators have also strengthened cooperation with customs authorities to facilitate port clearance and improve the efficiency of international transport.