Suanesavanh Vignaket (centre left) and her delegation welcome Chinese tourists on their arrival at Boten station in Luang Namtha province. - VT
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The first group of Chinese tourists, numbering more than 200 in total, arrived in Laos last Thursday after travelling on the first cross-border train operated by the Laos-China Railway.
The group was warmly welcomed by Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Suanesavanh Vignaket, who met them upon their arrival at Boten station in Luang Namtha province.
The historic train, the D887 service, travelled from Kunming to Vientiane on April 13, the day before the start of the Lao New Year holiday, to promote tourism between Laos and China.
According to the Laos-China Railway Company Limited, the direct cross-border passenger train will run every day, with the journey between Kunming and Vientiane taking over 10 hours.
Passengers from Laos are required to obtain a visa to enter China before they start their journey.
Train tickets can be ordered through the LCR Ticket app or purchased at the station in Vientiane.
The route covers a distance of 1,035km, stopping at eight stations. The travel time of 10 hours and 30 minutes includes the time taken to go through immigration at the Boten-Bohan border crossing.
Speaking at the launch of the cross-border train service, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Suanesavanh Vignaket, said the direct train service is another symbol of Laos-China friendship in the modern era, and serves the government’s ambition to transform landlocked Laos into a regional land link.
The government hopes that the Laos-China railway will create an economic corridor that generates income for the nation, as well as bringing more tourists to Laos from within the region and beyond.
The new cross-border train service has been widely advertised internationally, as part of integrated passenger transport services to promote tourism in Laos, which is at the centre of Asean countries’ integration with China.
Suanesavanh said “We now have a high-speed train connecting Laos and China. This offers important potential for international travel and represents the opening of a Laos-China high-speed rail route, connecting Vientiane with Kunming and giving more tourists the chance to visit the two countries.”
