If you think Europe’s the only continent where you can enjoy (somewhat) seamless train travel between different countries, wait until you hear about Asia’s newly-announced cross-border railway service linking 3 fascinating destinations.
Soon enough, tourists will be able to board a train in Bangkok, Thailand, calling at Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and traveling to as far as China’s southwestern province of Yunnan.
Here’s everything you need to know about this exciting new development and when you can expect the train to start operating:
Thailand To China (Via Laos) On A High-Speed Train Soon?
Service from Laos to China was launched back in 2023, once COVID-related restrictions were fully lifted, comprising 643 miles of tracks, and marking the first long-distance railway for the lesser-known Southeast Asian gem.
The Laos-China Railway (LCR) is merely a part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, commonly shortened to just BRI, which has been referred to by geopolitical analysts as New Silk Road.
According to Xi Jinping himself, it is meant the ‘break the bottleneck‘ that hinders Asia’s connectivity, aiming to provide China with better road and maritime connections to neighboring countries.
The ‘D’ and ‘K’ trains, which reach China, run up to 99 miles per hour and stop in as many as 10 Laotian municipalities, including popular tourist destinations like Vientiane and Luang Prabang (bypassed by the ‘D’ trains) and four Chinese cities, terminating in Kunming.
Now, onto that promised Thailand extension:
Here’s What We Know So Far About The Thailand Extension
On February 4, Thai authorities approved the extension of the Laos China Railway into Thailand, and most shockingly even, construction is already underway.
A total of 379 miles of tracks will be laid from Bangkok to Nong Khai, on the border with Laos, and as plans were approved as early as May last year, roughly 36% of the work on the ‘first phase’ is complete.
This refers to the stretch between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, the largest city in Northeastern Thailand, poised to become a major transit hub for travelers on the (soon to be expanded) Thailand-Laos-China Railway.
The second phase refers to 221 miles of tracks linking Nakhon Ratchasima to the Laotian border, proper, and as local media has reinforced, this section will feature five stations, and a logistics hub, near Nong Chai, to facilitate freight transshipment between Thailand and Laos.
179.4 billion baht (aproximately US$5.3 billion) have already been spent on this project, and with Thailand intent on calling tenders at some point this year, the full budget should be ballooning to 341 billion baht.
Anyways, those budget talks are hardly relevant for travelers.
How much will tickets cost, and when can you travel on this train?
How Much Are Tickets On The Laos-China Railway?
As with any train journey in Asia, prices depend on the distance traveled, the class of seat, as well as the type of train:
There are low-speed and high-speed trains on the Laos-China Railway that are priced differently, and naturally, you should expect to pay slightly more for a bit more comfort in your wagon or significantly more if you’re booking a lie-flat couchette.
It’s always best to check the official website, or failing that (we know Laotian and Chinese websites are not exactly user-friendly), ask at the train station how much tickets are, but they will range from around $18 to $55 per person, one-way.
Again, that’s just an estimate and for the Laos-China trains only.
At this point, we do not know how much tickets will cost leaving from, or traveling to Thailand.
As for completion, we should expect trains to reach Bangkok by 2030.
That being said, some stations might open sooner due to the phased construction, and seeing that 36% of the first phase has already been delivered, we wouldn’t be surprised if the launch date gets pushed forward eventually.
You know how fast the Chinese are when it comes to building stuff…
Now, For The Visa Restrictions…
Lastly, as exciting as this all sounds, you must know that, as a Westerner, there may be visa restrictions in place.
Last year, a host of European countries have been granted visa-free access to China for up to 30 days, until December 31, 2025, at least––these include France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Greece, and many more.
Regrettably, Americans and Canadians have not been extended the same privilege (so far, anyway).
Unless you’re entering China via a transit hub, like Shanghai or Beijing, where U.S. passport holders get up to 144 hours of visa-free access if they’re passing through the country on their way somewhere without leaving the province in question, you will need a tourist visa.
Chinese tourist visas are not impossible to get, but the process isn’t exactly hassle-free. It involves visiting the nearest Chinese consulate where you live in America, providing documentation, and, in some cases, even attending an interview.
This is particularly relevant as the Yunnan province of China, where the train terminates, does not offer visa-free access for passengers arriving via land.
On the other hand, entering Laos is far less complicated as an American:
You will still need a visa, but it’s issued online (you can apply prior to your trip), or on-arrival, costing around $40.
For now, Americans can enter Thailand visa-free, though a new ETA requirement is coming into force later this year that will bar current visa-exempt travelers from boarding Thailand-bound flights if they haven’t obtained a digital travel permit in advance.
And you thought the dark days of travel restrictions were in the past, huh?
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
