Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – According to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., as of December 2nd, the China-Laos Railway has been in operation for four years, having transported over 62.5 million passengers and over 72.5 million tons of freight. Its role as a major transportation corridor continues to expand, injecting new vitality into regional economic and social development.
A relevant official from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. stated that in the four years since its opening, the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. has worked closely with the Lao railway authorities to effectively operate and manage the China-Laos Railway, promoting high-level connectivity between China and ASEAN. Passenger and freight volumes have continued to grow, service quality has significantly improved, and its radiating effect has been continuously strengthened.
Data shows that the China-Laos Railway has seen both volume and quality of passenger traffic increase, with monthly passenger volume rising from 600,000 at the beginning of operation to a peak of 2.2 million. Domestically, the average daily number of passenger trains increased from 8 at the beginning of the operation to a peak of 86, carrying a total of 51.34 million passengers. In Laos, the average daily number of passenger trains increased from 4 at the beginning to a peak of 18, with regular passenger trains expanding to more than 10 carriages each, carrying a total of 11.24 million passengers.
Freight transport on the China-Laos Railway has seen robust growth. The number of cross-border freight trains increased from 2 at the beginning to a peak of 23, and the traction tonnage of the trains increased from 2,000 tons to 2,800 tons. A total of over 16 million tons of cross-border freight has been transported, covering 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China and 19 countries and regions including Laos and Thailand, with the types of goods transported expanding to over 3,800. Freight costs from Kunming to Thailand via Laos have decreased by 30% to 50%, and transportation costs within Laos have decreased by 20% to 40%, providing a "new engine" for regional economic development.
Meanwhile, the railway departments of China and Laos have actively cooperated with the tourism departments of both countries, made good use of the visa-free transit policy, and actively promoted the integrated development of "railway + culture and tourism". Relying on the China-Laos Railway, multiple tourist routes have been opened between Kunming and Vientiane. More than 640,000 tourists from more than 120 countries and regions, including Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, have traveled on cross-border international passenger trains. The increasing passenger flow has boosted tourism-related industries such as scenic spots, hotels, and restaurants along the line, injecting new vitality into the development of the tourism economy.
