The China-Laos Railway Photo: VCG

The cargo transportation volume of the China-Laos railway passed the 10-million-ton benchmark on Monday after achieving a capacity increase for several consecutive months since its launch last December, according to China Railway Kunming Bureau Group.

The launch of the 1,035-kilometer-long transportation line came in response to the need for a logistics upgrade not just between China and Laos but the whole region, and its capacity escalation is direct evidence of its success.

So far, 25 cities and provinces in China have opened transportation service lines for the China-Laos cargo train, and the number of two-way trains dispatched has expanded from just one train per day to six trains, according to the Kunming Bureau Group.

The Lancang-Mekong Express freight train has a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. It departs from Wangjiaying West Station in Southwest China's Kunming, and arrives in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, in 26 hours.

As an upgrade of the transportation line, the express freight train is more efficient in terms of transportation and can offer reliable arrival times. The cargo delivered by the train now covers Southeast Asian countries including Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The goods delivered have also increased from more than 100 types to over 1,200, ranging from electronic devices to fruits, with the cross-border trade value exceeding 12 billion yuan ($1.66 billion).

Global Times