A second train on the popular railway route between China and Laos was launched on Saturday to cater to rising demand by for international tourists.

According to a press statement by China State Railway Group Company, the trains run between Xishuangbanna of China and Luang Prabang of Laos, two popular tourist destinations. 

Passengers can make the round trip between the two locations within one day

The statement adds that during the initial period, the additional trains run four days a week, every Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The whole trip has six stations and takes approximately five hours. Passengers can make the round trip between the two locations within one day.

Saturday also marked the first anniversary of the launch of the China-Laos Railway’s international passenger service, when the China-Laos Railway launched its international passenger service, with one pair of trains running between Kunming in China and Vientiane in Laos.

The railway company says that within the past year, the international service of the China-Laos Railway transported 180,000 cross-border passengers from 87 countries and regions.

The statement adds that the China-Laos Railway, a ‘landmark’ project under Chinese President Xi Jiunping’s Belt and Road Initiative, began operations in December 2021. The 1,035-km railway connects China’s Kunming with Vientiane in Laos.