The mountain is no longer high and the road is no longer long (jointly building the "the Belt and Road", the first site), from Kunming to Vientiane

The picture shows the China Laos railway international passenger train from Luang Prabang Railway Station in Laos.

Photo by our reporter Sun Guangyong

In the morning, sunlight shines through the car window. Put elegant magnolia bouquets on the washstand, spread the indigo tablecloth neatly on the dining table, and put the Dim sum drinks of "Friendship Supermarket" on the shelves... The stewards of train D887 are making final preparations for departure.

At 8:08, the train departed from Kunming South Station and headed south, passing through the picturesque Xishuangbanna, crossing the Friendship Tunnel on the China Laos border, stopping at cities such as Luang Prabang and Vanrong in Laos, and heading towards the capital city of Laos, Vientiane. The China Laos Railway is a landmark project of high-quality joint construction of the "the Belt and Road". Not long ago, our reporter took the China Laos Railway International Passenger Train to experience this 1035 km long connecting road between China and Laos.

On the car window at the junction of the carriages, there is a Chinese and Laotian inscription that reads "The Silk Road is Beautiful and Shared"; On the glass door, a heart-shaped pattern is formed by the combination of peony and Champa flower wreaths; Each group of seats is equipped with standard power sockets from China and Laos; The train information display, broadcasting, and service signage are all in three languages: Chinese, Lao, and English... The details on the train are always thought-provoking.

Train conductor Zhao Yingjing patrols through the carriage, occasionally helping newly boarded passengers find seats and put their luggage. This Yunnan girl has been working at China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. for 11 years, wearing a peacock blue uniform and exuding competence. She has studied abroad in Thailand and can speak four languages: Chinese, Lao, Thai, and English.

"I am the 'third generation of the railway'. My grandfather is a railway soldier, and my mother is a conductor. I grew up listening to the train whistle when I was young." Zhao Yingjing told reporters that after the construction of the China Laos Railway started in 2016, she set her goal in mind to take the China Laos Railway train.

On December 3, 2021, the China Laos Railway was officially opened, and Zhao Yingjing became the conductor of the first passenger train.

The train departed from the urban area of Kunming and quickly reached its maximum operating speed of 160 kilometers per hour, passing through mountains, tunnels, deep valleys, and large rivers. After stopping at Pu'er and Xishuangbanna stations, two international passenger carriages are almost fully booked.

Duan Mingkun and his family got on the train at Pu'er Station. At the age of 34, he is from Pu'er and studies Lao language in university. Currently, he works at Sun Paper, a Chinese owned enterprise in the southern province of Savannakhet, Laos. It was in this company that Duan Mingkun met and married a Laotian girl named Giovanni, who is now 4 years old.

"Before the railway opened to traffic, we had to go to Vientiane by plane to return to Puer. The flights were basically in the morning, and we had to take a bus from Savannakhet to Vientiane one day in advance. It would take us four or five hours to get off the plane from Kunming, and it would take us four or five hours to take a bus to return to Puer. One trip home would take us two days and three days." Duan Mingkun said that after the opening of the old railway international passenger train in mid April this year, it would take us only seven hours from Vientiane to Puer.

"This is the second time my child has taken a train. As soon as she got on the train, she pulled me around and looked around, very excited. Transportation is much more convenient now, and I can come to China two or three times a year in the future," Giovanni said with a smile. This time when they returned to Laos, their family specially bought first-class tickets. "Even if it's a first-class seat, it's much cheaper than the journey back home after several twists and turns before," said Duan Mingkun.

"Railway transportation is an emerging industry in Laos and will definitely have a bright future."

Mohan Station is located on the border between China and Laos, surrounded by mountains. The station has a three section design, with a sloping roof that looks like a giant ship about to set sail from the green "ocean" from a distance. At noon, the train stops here.

The international passenger train of China Laos Railway adopts the customs clearance mode of "two places and two inspections". Passengers going to Laos go through exit formalities at Mohan Station, and then go through entry formalities at Boten Station on the side of Laos. According to the statistics of Mohan Exit Entry Border Inspection Station, as of the 100th day of the operation of the China Laos Railway International Passenger Train on July 22, Mohan Railway Port has inspected 200 passenger trains in total, and 41735 passengers from 49 countries and regions have been released.

A few minutes after leaving Mohan Station, the Friendship Tunnel is already in front of us. The total length of the tunnel is 9.59 kilometers, including 7.17 kilometers in China and 2.42 kilometers in Laos. The border between the two countries in the tunnel is decorated with colorful neon light strips, and the five-star red flag and the Laotian national flag are more prominent.

As soon as it left the tunnel, the train slowly stopped at Modin Station in Laos. Under the guidance of the staff, the reporter got off the car to complete the entry procedures, which took less than 20 minutes. At Boten Station, the reporter saw Huang Shanfeng, the station staff. He is 24 years old this year and his hometown is in Luang Prabang, central Laos. He studied railway freight business management with his Chinese master at the Modin Station, mainly responsible for coordinating with customs and border inspection.

"I studied business management in college, and worked in hotels first after graduation. When I saw the recruitment information of Laos China Railway Company, I signed up at the first time." Huang Shanfeng said proudly, "Railway transportation is an emerging industry in Laos, and there will be bright prospects in the future."

During the training and post internship, Huang Shanfeng performed well and received special rewards from Laozhong Railway Company for many times. When it comes to work, he mentions Chinese masters the most. "Before the completion of the China Laos Railway, there was almost no railway in Laos, and many railway terms, such as railway tracks, had no corresponding expression in the Lao language. Chinese Master patiently taught me a little bit, and I gradually started to play my own role until now." Huang Shanfeng said that he chose to work at Boten Station to be closer to China.

At the Moding Station, many passengers take a photo with the train before boarding and take a selfie with their phones after sitting down. The train is almost full, and the dining car is very lively.

Tong Savan is a Laotian student studying in Yunnan, who is traveling with his classmates. He said, "Building a modern railway in such a complex terrain is very admirable."

The train had not yet entered Luang Prabang Station when the reporter saw a long queue on the platform. Luang Prabang is a famous tourist city in Laos, with the Mekong River passing through the city and attracting tourists from all over the year.

Zachariah and his wife Madeline from Louisiana, USA, are carrying heavy travel bags. This is their second time traveling to Laos. As soon as they walked into the carriage, the two of them looked surprised. "I never expected to be able to ride such a modern train in Laos, and the seats were very comfortable," Madeline told reporters.

The train runs through the mountainous areas of northern Laos, and almost all of it runs in tunnels within half an hour, except for a few minutes. "Building a modern railway in such a complex terrain is very admirable!" Zechariah said, their next destination is Vanrong. This time, their travel schedule to Southeast Asia is tight, with only two weeks in total. "Being able to board such a fast train has saved us a lot of time."

At Wanrong Station, a group of passengers got off and the newly boarded passengers were fully seated. Not long after the train left, it started raining outside the window. At this moment, familiar Chinese song melodies came from the carriage. The singer is Thai traveler Jasda, who has been studying Chinese for 10 years and can sing many Chinese songs. This is his first time traveling to Laos. "I have traveled to many places in China and often took high-speed trains there. Thanks to China's promotion of connectivity, Southeast Asia has such modern trains."

A group of teenagers wearing football uniforms were chatting excitedly in their seats. They are students from the Municipal School in Nanta City, Laos, representing Nanta Province in Vientiane to participate in the National Youth Football Selection Tournament in Laos. This is not their first time taking a train to Vientiane to participate in a competition. "The train is safe and convenient, and I hope to have the opportunity to take it to China to play football," 14-year-old Benkan told reporters.

In the evening, the train stops at Vientiane Station. The bustling passengers walked out of the station and into the brightly lit city. From Kunming to Vientiane, the 1035 km China Laos railway connects the two countries closely and is constantly improving the well-being of the two peoples and even the people in the region.