The Y421 special tourism train departed Fengtai Station in Beijing for Vientiane at 2:02 a.m. on Monday, marking the commencement of the first cross-border tourism special train from Beijing to Laos.

According to China Railway Beijing Group Co., the train will travel along the Beijing-Guangzhou and Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway lines, passing through Libo and Anshun in Guizhou Province before reaching Kunming in Yunnan.

The Y421 special tourism train departed Fengtai Station in Beijing at 2:02 a.m. on Nov.13, 2023. (Photo: China News Service/Jia Tianyong)

It will then proceed along the China-Laos Railway to reach Vientiane, making stops at stations in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang.

On the return journey, it will also pass through Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province and Chibi in Hubei Province, completing the entire trip in 15 days.

The China-Laos Railway began operations in December 2021, and launched a cross-border passenger service in April, with bullet trains running in both directions between Kunming and Vientiane.

The railway has cut the journey time between Kunming and Vientiane to 10.5 hours.

Since its operation, the coverage of cross-border passenger trains has continuously expanded, providing extra convenience for people traveling between the two countries.

The China-Laos Railway has been in operation for 23 months as of Nov. 3, according to the China Railway Kunming Group. During this period, it has welcomed over 23 million passengers and transported more than 27.8 million metric tons of goods.

The freight transportation network has extended to 12 countries, including "Belt and Road Initiative" partners Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.