After five years of intensive operation and three years of cross-border connectivity, the China Laos railway, as the main artery of transnational transportation connecting China and Laos, has continued to release multiple dividends of economy and trade, culture and tourism, and talent cultivation. Recently, Guangming Daily published a special article to deeply interpret the transformation of this cross-border railway from a transportation channel to a friendship bond and development corridor between the two countries.

2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the opening and operation of the China Laos Railway and the third anniversary of the operation of international passenger trains. After years of operation and development, this 1035 km transnational railway has already broken through the single transportation carrier attribute. It is not only an economic artery that drives cross-border freight circulation and promotes the vigorous development of industries along the route, but also a cultural bridge that promotes bilateral cultural and tourism exchanges and brings people's hearts closer between the two countries. A happy development corridor that benefits the Indochinese Peninsula is gradually taking shape.

The train travels south from Kunming, passing through tropical rainforests and adjacent to the banks of the Mekong River. The D87 high-speed train travels through mountains and valleys, connecting the natural scenery and cultural customs of China and Laos. Relying on this cross-border railway, Laos has successfully achieved a historic transformation from a landlocked country to a landlocked country. After five years of deep cultivation and three years of interconnection, this thousand mile railway is no longer just a transportation line for commuting and freight, but also a lifeline for empowering regional development and deepening bilateral friendship, slowly spreading a new picture of happiness on the land of Indochina Peninsula.

Railway dividends benefit people's livelihoods along the line

In the early morning, the freight yard of Wanxiang South Station is bustling with the roar of machines and the lifting of cranes, creating a scene of busy operations. As the only pure freight station in the Laos section of the China Laos Railway, this is a vivid epitome of China Laos cross-border economic and trade exchanges. Starting from April every year, Southeast Asia welcomes the peak season for fruit production and sales. Containers loaded with tropical fresh fruits are gathered here, relying on the station's standard meter gauge changing equipment to complete track gauge conversion without unpacking, smoothly connecting to the national railway transportation network. April to August is the peak season for fruit transportation in Southeast Asia, with 2 to 3 fruit trains running daily. This year, 903 trains and 17000 tons of fresh fruits have been shipped, "said Wang Guoquan, the station manager of Vientiane South Station. With the logistics advantage of the Lancang Mekong Express, tropical fruits such as durian from Laos can arrive in Kunming within 26 hours from Vientiane, and can be distributed to more than 30 cities across the country within 48 hours. In the past, Southeast Asian durians relied on road transportation, which took 5 to 7 days and resulted in high cargo damage rates due to high temperatures and bumps. Now, with the support of the Lancang Mekong Express and intelligent refrigerated containers, the cargo damage rate is controlled within 3%, "said Tao Qiang, Deputy Director of the Freight Department of China Railway Kunming Bureau. Efficient cold chain transportation has completely rewritten the circulation pattern of fresh produce in Southeast Asia.

According to relevant data, in 2025, the China Laos Railway will import 206000 tons of tropical fruits such as durian, and export 176000 tons of high-quality fruits and vegetables to Yunnan. The two-way cold chain logistics system will become increasingly perfect, allowing the people of China and Laos to share seasonal fresh food in the north and south without leaving their homes.

Behind the improvement and expansion of freight transportation is the continuous upgrading of railway capacity and operational efficiency. In the five years since its opening to traffic, the cumulative freight volume of the China Laos railway has exceeded 81 million tons. The average daily number of cross-border freight trains has climbed from 2 at the beginning of its opening to 23 at the highest. The cross-border trade categories have expanded from over 500 to over 3800, and the freight network covers 31 provinces, regions, and municipalities in China as well as 19 countries and regions worldwide. The trade structure continues to be optimized. In the first quarter of 2026, the export of photovoltaic modules, new energy vehicles and other new three types of foreign trade increased 10.4 times year on year, of which the increase of photovoltaic products was up to 43.2 times, promoting the transformation of China Laos railway from a traditional transportation channel of primary resources to an international economic and trade corridor for the circulation of high value-added goods.

The convenient railway logistics has completely reshaped the industrial development pattern along Laos. According to local journalists who have been deeply involved in research along the railway for a long time, before the railway was opened, the industries in remote villages around Laos were single, and some villages relied on prohibited crops to make a living; After the railway was opened, the smooth export logistics channel helped the local industry transform and upgrade. Villagers began to plant economic crops such as rubber and cassava on a large scale, and agricultural products were able to export steadily to China, completely breaking away from the backward development model. At the same time, railway operations have driven the landing of a large number of derivative jobs and boosted local employment. Outside Luang Prabang Station, passenger shuttle buses keep coming and going, and 26 year old Laotian youth Ali has established a foothold in the cross-border passenger transportation industry and gained stable income. Nowadays, more and more Laotian youth can achieve employment and income growth at home without traveling abroad, and truly enjoy the dividends of railway development.

Train driven tourism along the route

The convenient customs clearance policy combined with the efficient and comfortable travel advantages of railways has made cross-border tourism between China and Laos a new trend. Data shows that during the May Day holiday in 2026, the Mohan Railway Port has inspected over 5200 inbound and outbound personnel, with foreign tourists becoming one of the main groups for cross-border travel. Visa free entry accounts for over 61% of the population, and policy dividends and transportation advantages are mutually empowering, continuously activating the vitality of the cross-border cultural and tourism market.

The efficient and convenient customs clearance process and comfortable and high-quality ride experience make the China Laos Railway the first choice for foreign tourists to travel across borders. Cross border backpackers can be seen year-round at stations along the route such as Moding and Luang Prabang. British tourist Lena said that the convenient ticketing channels, efficient customs clearance, and the natural rainforest scenery along the way make the cross-border travel experience full of excitement. As of April 12, 2026, the cumulative number of international passenger trains of the China Laos Railway has exceeded 3190, serving more than 800000 passengers in more than 120 countries and regions. In the first quarter of this year, cross-border passenger traffic increased by 32.4% year on year, and cross-border passenger flow continued to rise.

To meet the diverse and international travel needs, stations along the route continue to optimize their service systems and upgrade their service quality. Xishuangbanna Station builds a Silk Road · Jinhua characteristic service brand, launching exclusive services in Chinese, Lao, Dai, and English languages; Moding Station has simultaneously launched multilingual service measures, equipped with intelligent translation devices and distinctive Dai style catering inside the train. It supports convenient ticket purchasing with foreign certificates and enhances the cross-border travel business card of China and Laos with refined and international services.

The railway tourism craze continues to heat up, with a continuous stream of Chinese tourists visiting well-known scenic spots such as the Guangxi Waterfall in Luang Prabang. Many tourists choose the mode of air and rail travel to deeply explore cities along the Laos route. The train runs smoothly and safely, with beautiful scenery along the way, and the cross-border travel experience is very comfortable, "said Ms. Zhang, a tourist from Zhejiang. The convenient bullet train travel mode has driven the development of the cultural and tourism industry along the line in an all-round way. According to the data, after the opening of the China Laos Railway, the regional tourism consumption along the line has increased by more than 35%. In 2025, the reception of overseas tourists in Xishuangbanna will increase by more than 110% year on year, and the cross-border cultural and tourism industry will usher in a new situation of vigorous development.

Master and apprentice join hands to strengthen the friendship between China and the elderly

At the same time of transportation connectivity and economic and trade prosperity, the China Laos Railway has deeply rooted in people to people connections. With localized operation as the core, it has deeply rooted in the construction of local talents through the cultivation mode of teacher led apprentice, cultivated professional forces for the Laos railway industry, and continued to build a good bond of friendship between China and Laos for cooperation.

Chen Heshi, the comprehensive assistant of Luang Prabang Central Station, has grown from a new freight forwarder with zero foundation to a backbone of station management. She said with deep feeling: "Chinese masters have taught me hand in hand and carefully, so that I can quickly master professional skills. The railway has completely changed the life trajectory of me and many young Laotians." At present, Laos employees of the China Laos Railway account for 67%, and a large number of local young people have gradually grown from industry newcomers to core business backbones.

Chen Nila, the freight duty officer at Wanxiang South Station, has won first place in the technical competition for two consecutive years with solid professional skills and has been awarded the title of freight professional technical expert. Since its opening, the railway department has completed training for 1475 Laotian employees, successfully cultivating 32 local train drivers and over a hundred train captains and team managers, creating Laos' first professional and standardized railway talent team. The head of Laos Railway Vocational and Technical College said that the China Laos Railway has not only introduced advanced railway facilities and equipment to the local area, but also brought a mature and perfect modern vocational education system. Keywords: China Laos railway, logistics, connectivity

Five years of deep cultivation without interruption, the friendship between mountains and seas is long-lasting. Today's China Laos railway has gone beyond the simple attribute of transportation infrastructure, and has become the road to prosperity, happiness and friendship that connects the two countries and benefits people's livelihood, carrying multiple missions of economic and trade exchanges, cultural and tourism integration and talent education. Coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, this steel Silk Road continues to iterate and upgrade, unleashing development momentum. In the future, the high-speed trains that shuttle through mountains and seas will continue to carry the beautiful vision of the two peoples, consolidate the foundation of building a community of shared future between China and Laos, and make the friendship between China and Laos that spans mountains and rivers last forever and warm.Editor/Gong Ziwei