China-Laos railway marks second anniversary

April 13 marks the second anniversary of China-Laos Railway's launch of international passenger trains.

A series of activities were organized on the trains and at related railway stations on Saturday to celebrate the second anniversary.

Over the past two years, the international passenger trains have transported a total of 1.91 million passengers, including 487,000 cross-border passengers from 112 countries and regions worldwide, according to China Railway.

The railway authorities have implemented various measures to meet the growing demand of passengers.

Trains connecting Kunming, capital of China's Yunnan province, and Vientiane of Laos operate daily.

In addition, trains connecting Xishuangbanna of Yunnan and Luang Prabang in Laos have increased their weekly operation from 4 to 6 days.

The number of cross-border passenger seats on each train have increased from the initial 250 to 390, with the number of border crossings reaching up to 1,300 passengers per day from the initial 300 passengers per day, it said.

The travel time of the Kunming to Vientiane international passenger train has been reduced from the initial 10 hours and 30 minutes to around 9 hours and 30 minutes, saving 1 hour.

The border clearance time has also been cut from the initial 90 minutes to a minimum of 50 minutes, making the Mohan Railway Port a key entry point for foreign tourists into China.

In the first quarter of this year, the international passenger trains have transported a total of 322,000 passengers, with a daily average of over 3,570 passengers.

Among them, 85,000 were cross-border passengers, maintaining a daily average of over 900 passengers, reaching a peak of 1,300 passengers in a day, showing strong growth momentum and providing great convenience for passengers engaged in cross-border tourism, study, and business.