Prime Minister Urges Rail Operator to Improve Services
Source: Vientiane Times
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has asked the Laos-China Railway Company Limited to improve facilities at stations and other services offered by the railway, to make travel easier for tourists.
The Prime Minister and his officials on Monday visited Vientiane station, located in Xaythany district, to observe ticket sales, passenger waiting areas, restaurant facilities, toilets, VIP waiting rooms, baggage checkpoints, payment of fees for pick-up and drop-off of passengers, and car park charges.
On the same day, the Prime Minister and his delegation attended a meeting at the headquarters of the Laos-China Railway Company Limited, where company staff outlined plans for the future operation of the railway.
The rail operator also described plans to improve services in relation to both passenger travel and freight transport, including resolving ongoing problems, so that the expected influx of tourists, especially from China, can be handled by the railway.
The opening of the Laos-China Railway in December 2021 has transformed travel in northern Laos, bolstered international trade, and is seen as an important force in driving economic development.
As of February 25, 2023, a total of 2,776 train journeys had been made, carrying 1,829,400 passengers, with an average of 4,065 people traveling on the railway each day.
In addition, 3,517 freight shipments carrying 2.8 million tons of goods had been made, with the types of products transported rising to more than 2,000, shipped from several different countries.
The rail operator has provided jobs for more than 800 Lao nationals, accounting for 60 percent of the total number of employees working on the railway.
