The Laos-China Railway has officially unveiled a ticket reservation mobile application on the first anniversary of the launch of the historic railway.
The railway company announced the mobile application at a ceremony yesterday held at Vientiane Railway Station in Vientiane Capital, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Chinese Ambassador to Laos, Mr. Jiang Zaidong, as well as Chairman of the Laos-China Railway, Mr. Ju Guojiang.
The LCR Ticket mobile application, which will be operational at the end of December, allows users to purchase tickets, make reservations, and change reservation information, according to the railway company.
After purchasing a ticket via the app, physical tickets will be available at the railway station, while users can reserve a ticket seven days in advance.
The ceremony held at Vientiane Railway Station marked the first anniversary of the historic railway, which was officially launched on 3 December last year.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay said that the Laos-China Railway was a significant step forward in Laos’ goal of transforming itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked nation.
“The railway is also an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative, and an engineering project marking the friendship between Laos and China, guided and encouraged by the Parties and governments of both nations,” he said.
The LCR Ticket mobile application is already available for Android devices via Google Play, and is expected to be available in the App store for Apple devices soon. Payment methods appear to include UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay.
While the railway has been lauded as a groundbreaking and convenient new mode of transport, the Laos-China Railway Company suffered major setbacks throughout its first year of operations due to mismanagement of ticketing systems, leading to continued complaints from the public.
The new online ticketing system via the mobile application is expected to provide greater convenience, satisfying the public and easing the frustration of tour operators.
