Residents of Kunming are taking a keener interest in train travel following the historic launch of the Laos-China Railway.
While current regulations do not allow cross-border passenger travel between China and Laos, Kunming has reported a rise in ticket sales.
According to a report by CRI, more than 114,000 people have purchased tickets to ride the new sections of the Laos-China Railway in China since its official launch last week, with over 20,000 passengers daily.
In response to renewed demand, the Kunming branch of China National Railway Group has increased the number of domestic passenger services from 17.5 to 25.5 round trips per day.
The northern end of the Laos-China Railway is connected to the Chinese rail system in Mohan, Yunnan Province, through the Yuxi-Mohan Railway.
Meanwhile, the first two international freight trains along the Laos-China Railway arrived at their destination in both Laos and China last week, worth over USD 3 million.
Freight trains now run along the Laos-China railway, transporting goods from Laos to China and from China to Laos, on a daily basis.
This new major railway in Laos will provide a fresh route to the Chinese market and has the potential to transform the Lao economy.
The Laos-China railway will help to improve several aspects of the Lao economy, including tourism and export-import industry, as well as creating employment, allowing for a more equitable and sustainable economic growth model to emerge.
