Stewardesses interact with passengers aboard train No. D86 from Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, to the Lao capital Vientiane, July 18, 2025. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)

　　VIENTIANE, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos Railway cross-border passenger service is set to mark its third anniversary, representing a significant milestone in regional connectivity and cultural exchange. Linking Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan province with the Lao capital Vientiane, the railway enables same-day travel between the two cities, significantly reducing journey time while bringing the people of China and Laos closer together.

　　Over the past three years, the service has transformed cross-border mobility. According to the Laos-China Railway Co. Ltd. (LCRC), which operates the Lao section of the railway, the train service has handled over 800,000 cross-border passengers trips as of April 12.

　　The opening of the cross-border passenger service has effectively shortened the travel time between Kunming and Vientiane from several days by road to less than 10 hours, significantly improving travel efficiency.

　　"It used to be so difficult to study in China," Manisa from northern Laos' Oudomxay province recalled her past journey to study in China. Manisa's home is located in the mountainous region of northern Laos, about 100 kilometers from the Laos-China border, but the journey to China was not smooth.

　　"You either had to pay expensive airfares or endure long, winding journeys by road with multiple transfers, which were bumpy and tiring."