The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday. [Photo by Yang Zixuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday and will shorten the travel time by one hour.

Bullet trains travel between Kunming and Mohan, Yunnan province, the domestic section of the line, taking about 4 hours and 40 minutes. A four-hour stop at the Mohan station gives sufficient time for passengers to complete one-day round trips, according to the China Railway Kunming Bureau Group.

The trains aim to promote development of the border city, boost commercial and tourism exchanges in the province and drive trade cooperation in the Mohan-Boten Economic Cooperation Zone, it said.

As of the end of October, the number of tourist trips via the China-Laos Railway reached 8 million, an average daily flow of 23,000.

The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday. [Photo by Yang Zixuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday. [Photo by Yang Zixuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday. It will reduce travel time by an hour. [Photo by He Siyuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday. It will reduce travel time by an hour. [Photo by He Siyuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The first bullet train on the China-Laos Railway set off on Tuesday. It will reduce travel time by an hour. [Photo by He Siyuan/For chinadaily.com.cn]