China-Laos Railway Records 244,000 Cross-Border Passenger Trips In Eight Months

The China-Laos Railway recorded 244,000 cross-border passenger trips in the first eight months of 2026, representing an increase of more than 50 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.

China Railway Kunming Group Co disclosed the figures on Wednesday, noting that the railway has continued to experience strong growth in international passenger services since the commencement of cross-border operations.

As of Monday, the railway had operated 3,789 cross-border passenger trains, carrying a combined 926,000 traveller trips involving passengers from more than 120 countries and regions.

The cross-border passenger service began on April 13, 2023, with international trains operating in both directions between Kunming South Station in southwest China’s Yunnan Province and Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

The service has provided an additional transportation option for passengers travelling between China and Laos, while also supporting tourism, business and other economic activities along the route.

The railway currently operates four international passenger trains daily, with the fastest journey between Kunming and Vientiane taking about nine hours and 36 minutes.

Authorities have also reduced the time required for customs clearance at the Mohan railway port to approximately 50 minutes, helping to facilitate smoother cross-border movement.

Passenger capacity on the international services has expanded significantly since their introduction. The number of available seats increased from 250 at the launch of the service to 420, while daily passenger crossings have risen from about 300 initially to a peak of 1,640.

The 1,035-kilometre railway connects major destinations including Kunming, Xishuangbanna and Vientiane, linking more than 560 tourist attractions along its route.

During the 2026 summer travel season, which ran from July 1 to September 1, the Mohan railway port processed more than 57,000 entry and exit travellers from 72 countries and regions.

The figure represented a year-on-year increase of more than 51 per cent, while the highest number of passenger clearances recorded in a single day exceeded 1,100.

China Railway Kunming Group said the rise in passenger traffic was being driven by increased cross-border tourism, study tours and business travel.

It added that spending in sectors such as tourist attractions, hotels and catering businesses along the railway route had increased by more than 35 per cent, highlighting the railway’s growing economic impact on communities and businesses along its corridor.

The China-Laos Railway, which stretches from Kunming to Vientiane, began operations on December 3, 2021. The line has since become an important transport link between China and Laos, strengthening connectivity and facilitating the movement of people and economic activities between the two countries.