China-Laos Railway starts cross-border passenger services

The China-Laos Railway started cross-border passenger services on Thursday, a move that is expected to boost regional connectivity. The first international passenger train D887 departed from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, at 8:08 a.m. - Beijing Time, heading to the Lao capital Vientiane on Thursday.

Starting Thursday, the China-Laos Railway will operate international passenger trains in both directions between Kunming and Vientiane, allowing passengers to reach their destination on the same day. There are eight stations along the route that stretches over 1,000 km, and the journey takes 10 and a half hours, including the time spent on going through customs.