The China-Laos Railway marked the third anniversary of its international passenger service on Monday, having carried over 840,000 cross-border travelers.
The flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative has made cross-border travel faster and more convenient, while reshaping regional connectivity.
Since April 2023, some 3,200 cross-border passenger trains have operated on the China-Laos Railway, servicing passengers from 120 countries and regions.
"Before the railway opened, traveling from Laos to China was quite difficult. Now taking the train makes everything much easier, whether it's for tourism, study, or business," said Phout, a Lao passenger.
"This is my first time taking the China-Laos Railway, and my favorite part about it is how easy it is to use, and I love how connected it makes the world feel," said Feili Johnson, an Australian Passenger. Currently, four international passenger trains run daily between Kunming in China and the Lao capital, Vientiane, with seating capacity increasing from 250 at launch to 420 per train.
Data from the operator shows that in the first quarter of this year, the railway handled 112,000 cross-border passengers, up 32 percent year on year.
With policies such as 240-hour visa-free transit now in place, cross-border travel has become significantly easier and more efficient for international travelers.
"I think it's very convenient with the visa-free arrival in China, because you can see the whole country. Instead of going for one single purpose, you're more free to do a little bit of what you want," said Gabriel Andersson, a Swedish traveler.
Adding to the convenience, immigration authorities have rolled out a range of measures to streamline border clearance. At the Mohan railway port, processing time has now been reduced to around 50 minutes.
"We've introduced more than a dozen measures to facilitate customs clearance, such as passenger classification and diversion, group booking for clearance, establishment of special channels for 240-hour visa-free transit, and pre-arrival entry card service," said Yang Xueqin, an officer from Mohan Immigration Inspection Station.
The port has also adopted smart technologies, including automated verification systems and real-time translation devices, cutting inspection time by more than 30 percent, Yang said.
With a steady rise in cross-border travelers, tourism in cities along the route — such as Xishuangbanna and Luang Prabang — is experiencing robust growth. As further facilitation measures advance between the two countries, the railway corridor is expected to unlock even greater vitality for regional tourism and economic exchanges.
China-Laos Railway marks three years of cross-border passenger services
China-Laos Railway marks three years of cross-border passenger services
With just over two weeks to go before the five-day May Day holiday from May 1 to 5, the Chinese film market is in the run-up to a pivotal slot for the presentation of 17 new domestic and foreign films across multiple genres during the long holiday season, offering holidaymakers diverse choices for entertainment.
As a patriotic film, Blood-Spattered Cliff is based on a true history of the Chinese Communist Party-led Sixth Red Army Corps' westward expedition in 1934. Using a documentary approach, it recreates how, facing an enemy several times their size, more than 100 Red Army soldiers deliberately lured the enemy to cover the main force. They chose death over capture and collectively jumped off a cliff, writing an eternal epic of Red Army martyrdom with their blood and lives.
Cold War 1994 is a crime thriller film that tells the story of a tycoon's kidnapping in 1994 that shook Hong Kong, threatening its financial standing.
Being Toward Death tells the story of Zhang Xiaobing, who attempted suicide after the death of a loved one. To repay debts, he enters Ward 10, a cancer ward, as a nursing assistant to conduct "psychological intervention" on the patients. Through day-to-day interactions with the terminally ill patients, they support each other, ultimately overcoming their difficulties together and regaining hope in life.
Comedy film Undecided revolves around an absurd emotional farce, with constant plot twists as a series of hilarious scenes unfold, offering audiences a lighthearted and stress-relieving journey.
Forest Within the Forest is a crime romance drama film. The story chronicles four decades in the lives of a family deeply rooted in the soil of northeast China. Through times of prosperity and hardship, they navigate cycles of love and hatred, fortune and misfortune. Though buffeted by the twists of fate, they never relinquish their steadfast guardianship of one another and the profound commitment to this ancestral land that sustains them. Vanishing Point tells the story of a conspiracy quietly unfolding between buildings. Beneath the seemingly peaceful scenes of daily life lie hidden traces of crime. The film's fast pace, with its interconnected cases, creates suspense and a palpable sense of thrill. GG Bond: Race Through Time is a brand new movie in the animated IP "GG Bond" series. It tells the story of the young racer Xing Hang and his companion GG Bond, who use a time machine to travel back to the past in an attempt to change his father's fate, only to become embroiled in a cross-temporal racing battle.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is an American comedy drama film as a sequel to the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. It sees Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci reprising their roles, with Justin Theroux and Kenneth Branagh joining as new additions. It was released on the Chinese mainland on April 30, one day earlier than in North America.
China's 2026 box office (including pre-sales) has surpassed 12.5 billion yuan (1.83 billion U.S. dollars) as of 12:08 on Tuesday, according to the latest data released by online platforms.
Diverse film lineup set to enliven May Day holiday box office in China
