The Mohan port in Yunnan Province, China, on the China-Laos Railway, recorded 42,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips during the 2025 Spring Festival travel rush, marking a 49% increase from the previous year, according to China Media Group on Sunday (Feb. 23).

This surge in passenger traffic is attributed to several factors, including winter vacations for overseas students and an influx of tourists from Southeast Asian countries. The China-Laos Railway experienced its busiest Spring Festival travel rush since it began operations nearly three years ago.

Additionally, the designation of the Spring Festival as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, along with effective visa-free policies in China, attracted many foreign tourists eager to experience the traditional festival via the railway. During the travel period from Jan. 14 to Feb. 22, approximately 6,000 foreigners from 64 countries and regions used the Mohan railway port.

The 1,035-kilometer cross-border railway is a key project within the Belt and Road Initiative, connecting Kunming in China with Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Since its opening on Dec. 3, 2021, the China-Laos Railway has facilitated over 43 million passenger trips and transported 48.3 million tons of goods.

Currently, the Pan-Asia Railway network, linking China and Southeast Asia, is expanding, providing enhanced connectivity for the involved countries. On Feb. 5, 2025, Thailand's cabinet approved the second phase of a high-speed rail project that will connect the country with China through Laos, with completion expected by 2030. This phase includes building a logistics hub in Nong Khai province to streamline freight movement between Thailand's and China's rail systems.

Moreover, Vietnam's National Assembly has approved funding for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project, valued at $8.37 billion, aimed at creating a modern rail line to meet both domestic and international transport needs, especially between Vietnam and China.

(Source: Xinhua)

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