China-Laos bullet train expands seats amid demand

Monday, January 29, 2024

In anticipation of the bustling Spring Festival next month, the China Railway Kunming Group has announced an increase in seating capacity on the bullet train running between China and Laos. This move is in response to the soaring demand for travel between these two nations.

From the onset of China’s Spring Festival travel rush on Friday, the train now accommodates an additional 50 passengers, raising the total seat count to 350. This service, connecting Kunming in China’s Yunnan province with Vientiane, the Laotian capital, operates a daily round-trip. The journey is not only a testament to modern engineering but also a bridge linking two vibrant cultures.

The ride, spanning approximately 9 hours and 30 minutes, embarks from Kunming at 8 am and reaches Vientiane by 4:30 pm. This year, the Spring Festival, a cornerstone of Chinese cultural celebration, falls on February 10. The travel rush, extending from Friday to March 5, is expected to see around 480 million passenger trips across the national railway network.

This heightened demand for cross-border travel along the China-Laos Railway has prompted passengers to plan their journeys well in advance. One such traveler, Vannaphone Khamphilom, a Lao student at Kunming University, recently made the trip to Vientiane. She sees these journeys as invaluable for gathering insights for her mother’s travel business.

This year’s festival marks a milestone as it’s the first Spring Festival travel rush since the international passenger service on the China-Laos Railway commenced in April last year. Railway staff are gearing up for this significant period, referred to as the “big test” of the year.

Train conductor Yi Bofeng plays a crucial role in this operation. She distributes arrival cards in multiple languages, including Chinese, English, and Lao, to passengers for pre-clearance at Mohan and Boten, the respective border cities of Yunnan and Laos. Yi’s multilingual skills in Mandarin, English, Lao, and the Dai dialect have grown from initial nervousness to confident service, ensuring a seamless journey for international travelers.

The line has seen a steady rise in demand since its inception. This month, the occupancy rate hit an impressive 93.1%. The warm climates of destinations like Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos, as well as Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture and Pu’er in Yunnan, are particularly appealing during the winter season, drawing numerous tourists from China and Southeast Asia.

Furthermore, the visa-free policy between China and Thailand has sparked increased interest in rail travel to China. The international service has impressively catered to over 125,000 passenger trips from 75 countries and regions, primarily attracting travelers from China, Laos, Thailand, and Singapore. The China-Laos Railway is not just a mode of transport but a gateway to new adventures and cultural exchanges.

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