In a historic moment, the first passenger train to travel along the Laos-China Railway has arrived in Laos.
The Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) passenger train, officially named “Lane Xang,” can be seen in these images by Do Yuavthin pulling in at Muang Xay Station in Oudomxay Province this evening.
The name Lane Xang is derived from the name of the former empire of Laos, which translates as the Land of a Million Elephants.
The train departed from China earlier this week and is bound for Vientiane Station in Vientiane Capital, the largest station along the Laos-China Railway.
Construction of the historic railway linking the Lao capital of Vientiane to the Chinese border over a distance of 427 km began in December 2016, linking five provinces including Luang Namtha, Oudomxay, Luang Prabang, Vientiane Province, and Vientiane Capital.
The railway includes 198 km of tunnels, and will traverse 62 km 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.
The Prime Minister of Laos announced last week that the Laos-China Railway would officially open on schedule in time for the National Day of Laos on 2 December.
