VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The first tourist train running from Guiyang in Southwest China’s Guizhou province to the Lao capital of Vientiane will make its inaugural journey on May 8, the Chinese city said on its website.
The planned debut marks an important step in boosting tourist and cultural exchanges between China and Southeast Asia.
Equipped with amenities including shower rooms, mobile charging facilities, entertainment services such as karaoke, cafés and bars, the train aims to impress passengers with a luxurious travel experience.
People travelling from Guizhou can book tickets for this eight-day trip through local travel agencies or online platforms.
The train stops at several notable attractions in Laos including Vientiane, the country’s biggest city; Vangvieng, a paradise for outdoor activities; Luang Prabang, the world heritage site renowned for its cultural heritage; and the popular Kuangxi Waterfall.
Meanwhile, new travel routes within Guizhou will also be launched to enable tourists from across Southeast Asian to explore the attractions in the Chinese province.
The train is expected to run on a regular monthly schedule, with extra trains added based on passenger flow.
Earlier, China’s Yunnan province and the capital Beijing began operating trains connecting to the Laos-China Railway terminating in Laos.
The new rail route has made a significant contribution to boosting people-to-people links in the sub-region.
According to official data, some 150,000 people of 87 nationalities have crossed the border since the Laos-China Railway began running cross-border trains a year ago in April 2023.
The number of tourists visiting Laos from China has increased significantly compared to the years before the Laos-China Railway became operational in 2021.
In 2022, some 45,000 Chinese tourists came to Laos, soaring to 641,314 in 2023, and in the first three months of this year 242,193 Chinese tourists spent time in Laos. - Vientiane Times/ANN
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