China-Laos Railway handles over 180,000 cross-border passenger trips

Lao staff members stage a performance aboard train No. D887, the first cross-border passenger train from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to the Lao capital Vientiane, on April 13, 2023.(Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

KUNMING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- As of Saturday, the China-Laos Railway has handled over 180,000 cross-border passenger trips since its international passenger service opened a year ago, according to the Mohan checkpoint on China's border with Laos in southwest China's Yunnan.

A total of 738 international passenger trains have been operated during the period, facilitating the smooth entry and exit of 183,000 passengers from 87 countries and regions, as noted by the checkpoint.

The most frequent foreign passengers are from Laos, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, mainly traveling for tourism, visiting family and friends, and business purposes.

As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the 1,035-km China-Laos Railway connects Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Laotian capital Vientiane.