As of February 3, 2026, the China-Laos Railway has been in operation for over four years, having transported more than 66 million passenger trips and operated nearly 90,000 passenger trains. It has attracted travelers from over 120 countries and regions for cross-border journeys. These figures serve as a vivid illustration of the Belt and Road Initiative and represent a fitting tribute to the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, also designated as the "Year of China-Laos Friendship." The railway stands as a route of development, prosperity, and friendship that traverses mountains and rivers.
Stretching 1,035 kilometers from Kunming in China's Yunnan Province in the north to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, in the south, the railway has become a "golden corridor" facilitating two-way engagement between China and ASEAN. This transcontinental passage is not only a model project for enhancing infrastructure connectivity but also a living example of deepening regional cooperation, fostering people-to-people bonds, and promoting shared development.
Passenger transport services have seen significant quality improvements, creating a dynamic travel experience. The railway operates over 70 trains daily, consistently serving more than 60,000 passengers each day. This includes four daily cross-border trains, facilitating convenient travel for over a thousand passengers. Domestically, the Chinese section has handled 53.95 million passenger trips, while the Lao section has accommodated 12.17 million. Monthly passenger traffic has surged from 600,000 to 2.2 million trips. Railway authorities have introduced premium, comfort-oriented, and budget-friendly tourist trains, seamlessly connecting destinations such as Kunming, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane. "Touring China and Laos by train" has become a popular trend, boosting cultural tourism and related industries along the route.
Service upgrades have strengthened convenience and connectivity. To manage the high passenger volume, railway authorities, in coordination with customs and border inspection agencies, have implemented measures like online pre-clearance bookings, 24/7 unimpeded clearance, and 144-hour visa-free transit policies, ensuring smooth border crossings. From the "Starlight Lancang-Mekong" tourist train to multilingual services, and from enhanced station transfers to smart security checks, the railway has become the preferred choice for travelers of diverse backgrounds and languages, thanks to its safe, efficient, and warm service. These efforts have strengthened mutual understanding with every arrival and departure.
Freight services are accelerating, activating new economic drivers. The China-Laos Railway has established a major international logistics corridor, with cross-border freight trains increasing from two to 23 per day. Cumulative cross-border cargo volume has exceeded 16 million metric tons, reaching 19 countries and regions, with the variety of goods expanding to over 3,800 categories. This enables the efficient two-way flow of Lao rubber and tropical fruits and Chinese photovoltaic products and new energy vehicle components. New business models, such as the integrated tea and coffee industry in Pu'er and the economic zone at the Mohan border port, are emerging. This steel artery injects strong momentum into the regional economy, solidifying its role as a "golden corridor" for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
"As friends, no distance is too far." The 66 million journeys bear witness to the China-Laos friendship and represent a successful outcome of win-win cooperation. The railway has not only shortened travel times but also built bridges between people, providing solid support for building a China-Laos community with a shared future. Looking ahead, the China-Laos Railway will continue to unleash its potential, accelerating interconnectivity and fast-tracking regional prosperity. On the modern Silk Road, it will write new chapters of shared progress and collective advancement.