KUNMING, Dec. 2 -- The China-Laos Railway has handled over 62.5 million passenger trips and more than 72.5 million tonnes of cargo since its launch four years ago, injecting strong momentum into regional economic and social development, the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. said Tuesday.

Stretching 1,035 kilometers from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to the Lao capital of Vientiane, the railway has enhanced regional connectivity and served as a new driver of regional economic growth, the company said.

The railway has cut logistics costs by up to 50 percent on the route from Kunming to Thailand via Laos, while transport costs within Laos have been reduced by up to 40 percent, according to the company.

The China-Laos Railway commenced operations on December 3, 2021. To meet growing cross-border travel demand, international passenger train services between Kunming and Vientiane were introduced on April 13, 2023.