A groundbreaking ceremony for construction of Vientiane Station along the Laos-China Railway was held on Friday in Xaythany District.
Vientiane Station, located in Xay Village, Xaythany District, is to be built by China Railway Construction Group. The station will consist of four platforms with seven track lines and two additional platforms with three lines reserved.
The station will accommodate up to 2,500 passengers with a total area of 14,543 square meters, according to Laos-China Railway Co. (LCRC), the Vientiane-based joint venture enterprise responsible for the development and operation of the railway.
The design concept for Vientiane Station is City of Sandalwood, the original meaning of the capital city’s name. It will also promote friendship between Laos and China, integrating the cultural traditions and character of both countries into its modern architecture, according to a press release by LCRC.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Head of the Laos-China Railway Project Management Committee under the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Chantoula Phanalasy, and Mr. Xiao Qianwen, LCRC General Manager.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Mr. Chantoula Phanalasy said, “the Laos-China railway will drive economic development, improve the living standards of the Lao people, promote economic cooperation between Laos and China, and contribute to cooperation and exchanges between China and Southeast Asian countries.”
“Vientiane Station will be the largest passenger station of the Laos-China railway, and it is expected to connect with the other railway lines planned by the Lao side,” he added.
The Laos-China Railway project has been constructed under Chinese management and to Chinese technological standards and is scheduled to open to traffic in December 2021.
The Laos-China Railway will run some 414 kilometers, including 198km of tunnels, and will traverse 62km of bridges. It will run from the Boten border gate, connecting Northern Laos to China, down to Vientiane Capital, with an operating speed of 160km per hour.
