Artists perform on a passenger train traveling from Kunming in Southwest China's Yunnan province to the Lao capital Vientiane on April 14, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]
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.
