As of March 10th, the D87/D88 international passenger trains from Kunming South Station to Vientiane Station will add two new stops, Yuxi Station in the domestic section and Muang Say Station in the Laotian section, bringing the total number of stops along the route to 10 stations, according to China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd on March 8th. Meanwhile, the railway department actively coordinated with customs, border inspection, and other departments to shorten the clearance time, maintaining an one-way travel time of 9 hours and 26 minutes.

Since the launch of the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains, it has become the preferred choice for many domestic and foreign passengers traveling to China and Laos for tourism, business, and cultural exchanges due to its economical, convenient, and comfortable travel mode. As of now, the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains have transported 145,000 passengers from more than 80 countries and regions for cross-border travel.

To meet the desire of the people of China and Laos to travel across the border and engage in sightseeing via the China-Laos Railway, the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains launched on April 13, 2023, with strong support from the relevant departments of both China and Laos. In accordance with the bilateral agreement, the railway departments of both countries actively negotiated and jointly organized the operation of the international passenger trains on the China-Laos Railway, continuously building it a development path, happiness path, and friendship path to serve the people of China and Laos.

The China-Laos Railway international passenger trains operate in a "morning departure, evening arrival" mode, with one train operating in each direction daily. Using the "Fuxing" and "Lancang" high-speed trains, the international passenger trains run with a maximum operating speed of 160 kilometers per hour. The trains stop at a total of 8 stations including Kunming South, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Mohan, Boten, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane. With the addition of Yuxi Station and Muang Say Station, the total number of stops along the route reaches 10 stations, making travel more convenient for passengers.

It is reported that since the winter of last year, the pleasant climate in places such as Xishuangbanna, Pu'er in Yunnan, and Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos has been favored by domestic and foreign tourists. Especially during this year's Spring Festival travel season, tourism along the China-Laos Railway had been booming, with over 25,000 people choosing to travel cross-border via the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains. The total number of passengers sent along the entire line exceeded 3 million, a year-on-year increase of 39%.

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(Editors: Lexi, Ines)