Gansu launches first international freight train via China-Laos Railway

A freight train departed from Dunhuang City, northwest China's Gansu Province Thursday morning, for Thailand's Bangkok, marking the opening of Gansu's first international freight train on the China-Laos Railway.

The train is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok via Laos' Vientiane in 12 days. The trip via railway is one month shorter compared to the previous sea shipping route between the two cities, according to local authorities.

The China-Laos Railway has transported around 276,000 tonnes of import and export cargo worth 290 million yuan ($44.9 million) in the first three months of the year, according to data from Kunming Customs in Southwest China's Yunnan province.

Customs said 90,200 tonnes of goods, including daily necessities, mechanical and electrical products, were exported from China, while imported goods included natural rubber, charcoal and iron ore.

As a convenient logistics channel connecting China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the over 1,000 km railway kicked off operation on Dec. 3, 2021, improving transport efficiency, reducing logistics costs and benefitting more enterprises.

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