At around 16:00 on January 26, 2026, a freight train loaded with 460 tons of fresh vegetables and 285 tons of steel slowly departed from Yanhe Station in Yuxi, Yunnan. It will go south along the China Laos Railway, arrive in Vientiane, Laos, and then transfer to Bangkok, Thailand.

This is the first of the four new Central Asian international freight trains added by the China Laos Railway, marking the new operation stage of the international logistics channel in which the scheduled, fixed and scheduled trains have entered.

A stable bond spanning mountains and rivers

Kunming Railway Bureau Group Co., Ltd. of China Railway recently announced that China Laos Railway will add 4 international freight trains to Central Asia. In addition to the first train departing from Yanhe Station in Yuxi, subsequent trains will also depart from Zhongyi Village Station and Yuxi South Station in Kunming City.

"Yanhe Station realized the two-way operation of the international freight trains of the China Laos railway last year, and today the operation of the Central Asia international freight train marks that the international transportation from Yuxi to Laos has achieved the scheduled, fixed-point and scheduled trains," said Li Yi, deputy general manager of Kunming Branch of China Railway Express Co., Ltd.

The economic artery of smooth flow of goods

The fresh agricultural products such as cabbage, chili, broccoli loaded on this train will be quickly transported to the Bangkok market in Thailand after unloading in Vientiane. The train not only provides more stable transportation time, but also greatly improves speed.

Since the opening of the old railway in December 2021, more than 900 international freight trains have been operated accumulatively, and more than 1 million tons of goods have been transported. This railway has become a golden transportation channel connecting China and Southeast Asia, effectively reducing regional logistics costs.

The fixed schedule of running at least 4 trains per week means that enterprises along the route can plan production and exports more accurately, enhancing market competitiveness.

An open hub radiating Southeast Asia

As a landmark project of high-quality joint construction of the the Belt and Road, the radiation effect of the China Laos Railway is constantly expanding. The goods depart from Yunnan, China and can quickly reach countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia through Laos.

As one of the starting points of this train, Yuxi in Yunnan is transforming from an inland city to an open frontier facing South Asia and Southeast Asia. Timed and fixed-point train services enable more "Made in China" and agricultural products to quickly and stably enter the international market.

According to railway department data, at present, the international freight transport of China Laos railway has covered more than 10 countries jointly building the the Belt and Road, including Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia, and the categories of goods have expanded from more than 100 to more than 1200 at the initial stage of opening.

The first Central Asian international freight train is heading south along the winding railway. Along the railway, fresh Yunnan vegetables will soon appear in Thai markets, and Chinese steel will be used for construction projects in Southeast Asia.

This railway line, stretching over 1000 kilometers, is not only a channel for freight transportation, but also the lifeblood of regional economic coordinated development, connecting markets and people's livelihoods in different countries, and drawing a vivid picture of interconnectivity and common development.

Like a key, the China Laos Railway has opened a new logistics pattern between southwest China and Southeast Asia. Timed trains are like precise clocks, injecting certainty and efficiency into regional trade exchanges, making the pulse of cross-border economy beat more steadily and powerfully.Editor/Yang Meiling