People celebrate the departure of the first China-Laos railway in Kunming on April 13. [Photo/dzwww.com]
Since April 13, residents of Wenzhou have been able travel to Laos via an international train that runs between Kunming and Vientiane, the capital of Laos, local media outlets reported.
The train will stop at eight stations including Kunming South, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Mohan, Boten, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane, with the entire trip taking around 10.5 hours. The ticket price for a first-class seat is approximately 760 yuan ($110.43), while a second-class seat is around 470 yuan.
Residents of Wenzhou need to first transfer in Kunming to take the international train. Currently, there are two ways to travel from Wenzhou to Kunming: by plane or high-speed train. If traveling by high-speed rail, passengers can transfer in several cities such as Jinhua, Hangzhou, and Nanchang. It takes around 11 to 12 hours to travel from Wenzhou to Kunming with a second-class seat price of approximately 830 yuan.
Traveling by plane from Wenzhou to Kunming is faster and more affordable. There are currently eight direct flights from Wenzhou to Kunming with a flight time of around three hours. The lowest ticket price is around 480 yuan and the highest is around 960 yuan.
Once travelers arrive in Kunming, they can take the international train to Laos. The train departs at 8:08 am Beijing time and arrives at Vientiane station at 6:38 pm Beijing time. During the journey, passengers must disembark at customs checkpoints for immigration checks. The total immigration clearance time for entering and exiting is around three hours.
If they don't want to transfer in Kunming, travelers can also take a flight to Laos, but they will need to transfer in Guangzhou or other cities. The fastest travel time is 10 hours and 10 minutes, and the ticket prices range from 1,694 to 2,200 yuan.
Overall, the new international train service between Kunming and Vientiane provides another travel option for residents of Wenzhou looking to visit Laos, and it is especially convenient for those who prefer to travel by train.
