New China-Laos bus link boosts ties

Passengers and business owners are praising a new international bus line linking China and Laos for its comfort, efficiency, and affordability, with officials calling it a significant step forward in regional connectivity and cooperation.

The commuter-style service, which began trial runs on Nov 3, connects Mohan Railway Station in Yunnan province's Mengla county with Boten Railway Station in Laos, a distance of just 16 kilometers. The journey takes about 50 minutes, with five round trips offered daily in each direction. Customs clearances are handled at each end.

For a woman surnamed Li, a resident of Jinghong in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, the new line has cut travel time to visit relatives in Laos by more than half.

"In the past, I had to stand in line for customs clearance and then find a vehicle to reach Boten. The process could take over two hours," she said. "Now, I can reach Boten Railway Station in less than an hour. It saves so much time and energy."

Laotian timber trader Lintha Cheng, who lives in Boten, said the line has improved both the safety and efficiency of cross-border business.

"I often travel to Mohan for cargo coordination and business talks. Previously, I had to carpool across the border, which was inconvenient and unsafe," he said. "The new service is well-run, the buses are clean and comfortable and travel time has been reduced by 30 percent. It saves both time and money."

Khamphilom Vannaphone, a Laotian student at Kunming University, also plans to use the new route. "There was a time when I couldn't get a train ticket from Kunming to Laos and had to take a taxi from Mohan to Boten. This new service will make trips like that much easier," he said.

Xia Mo, deputy general manager of Yunnan Tourism Co, the line's operator, said the company will adhere to its service philosophy of "safety, professionalism and dedication" to ensure passengers experience "convenience and warmth on this road of friendship".

At the launch ceremony, Zhou Mingxian, an official at Yunnan's transport department, described the new route as both "a bond of friendship" and "a line of prosperity" that offers a safe, efficient and affordable travel option. He added that it would inject fresh energy into the Mohan-Boten economic cooperation zone, a cross-border development area designed to boost trade, industrial collaboration, and regional growth.

The service connects directly with the China-Laos Railway, enabling seamless road-to-rail transport for international passengers. Since opening in December 2021, the railway has handled more than 600,000 cross-border trips for travelers from 115 countries and regions, according to China Railway Kunming Group Co.

Amphayvanh Keopadith, deputy director of the transport division of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in Laos, said the new service's integration with the China-Laos Railway has created a "more convenient transportation network" that energizes cross-border travel and tourism and acts as "a bridge for deeper exchanges between the two nations".

Experts said the line inaugurates a new stage in China-Laos transport cooperation. Jiang Zhida, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, called the service "a practical step forward in enhancing the operation of the China-Laos Railway" and predicted that more small cross-border projects would emerge along the route.

He added that the launch demonstrates how institutional openness and coordination can deepen bilateral cooperation and deliver tangible benefits for both sides.

Laotian basketball player Phoummalin Duangdeuane, who recently took the China-Laos Railway from Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna, said the growing transport links have strengthened ties between the two countries. "The railway has boosted tourism and economic exchanges and brought our peoples closer," he said.