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According to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the railway line connecting Bangkok, Thailand, and Vientiane, Laos, will officially begin operations on July 19th. The first train will depart from Bangkok Central Station at 9:25 PM and is expected to arrive at Khamsavath Station in Vientiane at 9:05 AM the following day. This new railway line marks an expansion of the previous Bangkok-Nong Khai route, facilitating travel for tourists between the capitals of the two countries.
According to the report, upon arriving at Vientiane station, passengers can utilize public transportation services already prepared for tourists, such as trucks, tricycles, and taxis, for convenient travel to the capital Vientiane, a distance of approximately 7-9 km. Tourists can also travel to China via the Laos-China railway line from Vientiane train station.
The railway line connecting the capitals of Thailand and Laos has been put into operation.
Initially, the 133rd express train service on the Bangkok Thep Aphiwat – Vientiane (Khamsawat) route will offer the same service as the Bangkok Thep – Nongkhai route, covering a distance of 614 km, with 6 round trips per day; tourists can visit popular tourist attractions in the capital Vientiane or choose to continue on the Laos – China high-speed train to other tourist destinations in Laos and China.
Ticket prices have not yet been updated and are expected to be announced on the official opening day.
This network is expected to not only connect logistics and trade services, but also boost tourism along Thailand and Laos, and further connect to southern China via the Laos-China high-speed rail.
The Laos-China high-speed railway, which began operating in December 2021, is a route for transporting goods from Thailand across the border into Laos, and from there to Kunming in southern China. The 1,000-kilometer railway has reduced delivery time from Laos to China to just 15 hours, compared to two days for trucks to transport goods along mountainous routes to China.
This event also connects tourism and trade between Thailand and China with the newly launched Laos-China high-speed train route on April 13, 2023, which has so far attracted more than 960,000 passengers, including 222,000 passengers crossing the border from 96 countries.
The inauguration of the Thailand-Laos-China high-speed railway marks a significant milestone in the history of regional cooperation. It is a testament to the joint efforts of the three countries in promoting economic development, trade, and tourism.
