As the Spring Festival approaches, Kunming is filled with festive atmosphere. At the Kunming South Comprehensive Apartment managed by China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd., red lanterns hang high and paper-cut blessings adorn the windows. Nine Laotian flight attendants gathered together, receiving traditional Chinese knots and fu character decorations from staff members with cheerful laughter. "I know this! The Chinese knot symbolizes unity and harmony," said Laotian attendant Tang Xiao, holding her gift. On New Year's Eve, the apartment prepared not only Southeast Asian dishes like lemongrass grilled fish and Dai-style beef salad but also served dumplings representing "good luck and prosperity." The Laotian crew members enthusiastically used their phones to share this special "Chinese New Year's Eve dinner" with family and friends back home.
"This is my fourth Spring Festival travel season working on the China-Laos Railway, and I even got to enjoy the reunion dinner - truly unforgettable!" expressed Laotian train chief Li Shanshan with visible emotion. She acknowledged that the China-Laos Railway has fulfilled Laos' "railway dream" while allowing her friendship with Chinese colleagues to deepen through numerous trips and exchanges. This cross-border warmth perfectly exemplifies the railway's "thriving passenger flow and strong human connections."
The special reunion not only warmed the hearts of those working away from home but also marked the beginning of booming cross-border travel along the China-Laos Railway during the Spring Festival. Data from China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. shows that during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday (February 15-23), the cross-border tourism market via the China-Laos Railway remained highly active, with cumulative cross-border passenger volume reaching 12,900 person-times, a significant 41.8% increase compared to the same period last year. Among these, inbound passengers exceeded 6,300 person-times (up 52.7% year-on-year), while outbound passengers surpassed 6,500 person-times (up 32.5% year-on-year).
The sustained strong passenger flow demonstrates the powerful appeal of the China-Laos Railway as a "golden corridor." Since commencing operations, the railway has rapidly become a golden route for cross-border tourism between China and Laos, leveraging its unique geographical advantages. Connecting popular tourist cities including Kunming, Xishuangbanna, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane, the railway links over 560 tourist attractions along its route, attracting domestic and international travelers to choose high-speed rail for cross-border journeys.
From its opening on December 3, 2021, to February 3, 2026, the China-Laos Railway has transported over 66 million passengers cumulatively. This includes 53.95 million passengers on the domestic section and 12.17 million on the international section. The railway has operated 90,000 passenger trains in total, attracting travelers from more than 120 countries and regions worldwide to use international passenger services for cross-border travel.
Currently, as the railway enters its peak winter-spring tourism season, railway authorities are scientifically analyzing passenger flow patterns, increasing transport capacity, and optimizing train schedules. Daily operations include over 70 passenger trains carrying more than 60,000 passengers, with four cross-border trains transporting over 1,000 cross-border travelers daily. These measures provide strong support for regional connectivity and economic development along the route.
"We have also launched quality, comfort-oriented, and affordable tourist trains to fully meet diverse travel demands," explained Guan Yiran, duty station master at Kunming Station of China Railway Kunming Group. These trains not only connect domestic hotspots like Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Xishuangbanna but also operate cross-border tourist trains from Kunming to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, truly achieving "cultural enhancement through tourism and tourism promotion through culture" while deepening the integration of culture and tourism.
With the continuous effect of China's visa-free policies, more foreign tourists are choosing China as their vacation destination. "Traveling through China by train" and "Exploring Laos by rail" have become preferred options for cross-border tourists. To handle peak passenger flows, China Railway Kunming Group has established coordination mechanisms with Laotian railway authorities, implementing measures including precise passenger flow forecasting, dynamic capacity adjustments, and additional service counters to ensure smooth travel.
Railway departments have collaborated with customs and border inspection agencies to introduce more than 10 convenience services, including dedicated channels for visa-free travelers, online pre-booking for tour groups, mobile information stations at ports, and an online declaration system for arrival cards. These improvements have increased maximum daily clearance efficiency by approximately 30%, effectively reducing passenger waiting times. This "golden corridor" continues to inject sustained momentum into regional economic development along its route through its rapid transportation services.