China-Laos Railway delivers success for biz, tourism

The China-Laos Railway has become an increasingly popular option for summer travelers, as rising cross-border passenger flows boost tourism and trade between China and Southeast Asia.

Data from China Railway Kunming Group Co Ltd show that since China's summer travel rush began on July 1, an average of 53.2 bullet trains have operated daily from Kunming to Xishuangbanna, both in Yunnan province. The domestic section of the China-Laos Railway has handled 649,000 passenger trips, while more than 11,000 passenger entries and exits have been recorded at Mohan port.

Railway authorities have added multilingual and passenger assistance services at key stations to meet the summer travel demand. At Xishuangbanna, Pu'er and other stations, services are available in Chinese, Lao and English. Staff members have also been deployed to guide passengers in busy areas, while special service windows, wheelchairs and commonly used medicines are available for those needing help.

For Lin Ruoyin, a tourist from Fujian province, the journey offered a new experience: crossing the border by bullet train. She recently traveled from Xishuangbanna to Luang Prabang in Laos on a cross-border train.

"It was my first time taking a cross-border train for travel, and it felt really novel," Lin said. She said the ticket design, multilingual onboard announcements and convenient exit procedures left a strong impression.

Foreign tourists are also using the railway for cross-border trips. On July 17, Max, a tourist from the United Kingdom, waited with his family for an international train trip at Xishuangbanna Station. After flying to Kunming, they traveled by rail through Yuxi and Pu'er, taking time to experience local scenery and customs along the route.

"This railway is very convenient. We plan to take the bullet train all the way to Laos," Max said.

At Mohan Railway Port, border inspection authorities have introduced measures to separate different types of passengers and allow tour groups to book clearance appointments. Smart verification counters and self-service channels have also been put into use. Clearance for an entire international train at the port now takes about 50 minutes.

For Yang Jianian, a Lao student at Pu'er University, the railway has made study and travel easier. "After the railway opened, it takes just over six hours from Vientiane to Pu'er. It is convenient for me to study in China, return to Laos during holidays, or for my Chinese classmates to visit Vientiane," she said.

Yang said more Chinese tourists are traveling to Laos by bullet train, helping boost homestay and catering businesses in Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. "I see business opportunities in exchanges between Laos and China, and after graduation I plan to work in cross-border logistics between the two countries," she said.

Freight transport has also expanded along the route. Statistics released by Kunming Customs on July 22 show that by June 30, the categories of goods transported via the line had expanded from just over 10 in the early stage of operation to more than 3,900, including new energy vehicles, tropical fruits, vegetables and traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

In the first half of 2026, imports and exports transported via the railway were worth 17.17 billion yuan ($2.5 billion), up 33.8 percent year-on-year. Exports of the "new three" products — NEVs, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products — reached 2.14 billion yuan, surging 348.5 percent.

ASEAN specialty products are also entering the Chinese market faster. In the first half of the year, imports of fresh tropical fruits including durians, mangosteens and longans via the railway reached 4.22 billion yuan, up 25.8 percent.

"The China-Laos Railway has given companies greater confidence in expanding into the ASEAN market," said Jiang Wei, general manager of a customs broker based in Yunnan, which conducts business related to the railway.

Relying on the railway's stable transport capacity, Jiang said, the company's fresh fruit import agency business has continued to grow, while it has started expanding into new businesses such as NEV exports. In the first half of this year, the company's agency freight volume rose 32 percent year-on-year, he said.