China's railway network is witnessing a summer travel surge, with the China-Laos Railway emerging as a standout performer.
Since the summer travel season began on July 1, this vital international corridor has seen daily cross-border passenger numbers jump 15 percent, while processing nearly 20,000 international trips in its first month through the Mohan Railway Station border checkpoint.
The railway has increased its cross-border service frequency to four daily round-trips between Kunming and Vientiane, with the fastest journey now completed in under 10 hours.
At Kunming Railway Station's international departure gate, crowds usually gather by mid-morning for the four daily services to Vientiane.
Onboard the train, passengers enjoy considerate services including trilingual announcements and signage in Chinese, Lao and English. Travelers can scan QR codes to access immigration guides, while staff proactively check passport information and distribute arrival cards to streamline border clearance procedures.
"And it's my first experience of the train crossing the border from Laos to China. The train is really nice, very clean, and the landscape is very beautiful too. So very good experience. And crossing the border was very easy for me, so good experience," said an international tourist.
Upon arrival, visitors are flocking to Yunnan's premier destinations including Lijiang, Dali and Xishuangbanna, where beautiful natural landscape, distinctive local cuisine and handicrafts have drawn particular acclaim.
"I'm a big coffee drinker. And I am very pleased to see Yunnan produces its own coffee. So right now I'm drinking the rose latte. It's delicious," said an international tourist.
The railway's impact extends beyond transportation, fueling over 35 percent growth in tourism-related consumption along its route since July 1.
"The medium-light roast coffee beans have proven particularly popular among international visitors, driving a sales increase of approximately 50 percent," said a manager of a coffee shop.
This growth mirrors regional trends, with the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link handling 2.794 million passenger trips in July and China-Vietnam services seeing an 88 percent monthly ridership increase.
Cross-border travel booms along China-Laos railway during summer rush
