The China-Laos Railway is the most useful international train in Asia for a leisure traveller: you board in Yunnan in the morning, clear a land border in the middle of the day, and step off in Laos the same evening. Since cross-border passenger services began on 13 April 2023, more than 800,000 cross-border passengers from over 120 countries have made the run, and the line is still adding trains. Here is what is running in late 2026, how the border stop works, and how to book it on a foreign passport.
One piece of equipment matters more than any other here: the power-concentrated CR200J EMU, sold in China as the Fuxing and in Laos as the Lanchang. Our guide to the CR200J Fuxing trains explains the hardware.
The route: 1,035 km from Kunming to Vientiane
The line runs 1,035 km (about 643 mi) end to end, from Kunming South through Yuxi, Pu'er and Xishuangbanna to Mohan on the Chinese side, then through the 12.5 km Friendship Tunnel to Boten, and on through Muang Xay, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng to Vientiane. Design speed is 200 km/h on the first stretch and 160 km/h for the rest, so this is a comfortable scenic railway rather than a 350 km/h flagship. The fastest timing published in April 2026 was 9 hours 36 minutes, border formalities included.
Two pairs of international trains now run every day, one pair in each direction. The departure times below are as published in April 2026.
| Train | Direction | Departs | Journey time |
|---|---|---|---|
| D87 | Kunming South to Vientiane | 08:08 | about 9h36m |
| D86/83 | Kunming to Vientiane | 10:55 | about 10h |
| D88 | Vientiane to Kunming South | 09:00 | about 9h34m |
| D84/85 | Vientiane to Kunming | 12:25 | about 9h43m |
Treat those as a planning baseline and confirm them with 12306 or the LCR app on the day. The timetable has been adjusted repeatedly, most recently when the second daily pair was added on 18 July 2025.
Crossing the border at Mohan and Boten
Unlike a flight, the border is part of the journey, and you keep your luggage with you throughout.
- Two stops, not one. The train halts first at Mohan on the Chinese side, where everyone gets off with all bags for Chinese exit checks, then re-boards for the short hop through the Friendship Tunnel to Boten for Lao entry checks.
- Allow real time. Each formalities stop has taken 50 to 90 minutes, and the official figure for clearance at Mohan came down to around 50 minutes during 2026 as staffing and equipment improved.
- A single-stop system is agreed. China and Laos signed an intergovernmental agreement on a one-stop model in September 2025. Once live, both countries' immigration and customs checks will be handled at one station with one alighting.
- Carry the paper ticket. Even with an e-ticket, you must exchange your booking for a paper ticket at a counter, because it is checked at departure, at arrival and at both borders. Bring the same passport you booked with.
Tickets, visas and booking on a foreign passport
- China to Laos: book on the 12306 app, adding your passport as the passenger ID. 12306 sells only journeys that begin in China, so it cannot sell your return leg out of Laos.
- Laos and return legs: use the official LCR Ticket app, or buy in person at an international ticket counter.
- Collect in person. E-tickets are swapped for paper tickets at designated counters. In China these include Kunming, Kunming South, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna and Mohan; in Laos, Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Muang Xay and Boten.
- Indicative fares. Published April 2026 fares for Kunming South to Vientiane were about CNY 542 in second class and CNY 864 in first class. Fares vary by departure, so check live prices.
- Visa. Laos is not visa-free for most Western passports, and the Boten rail port does not issue visas on arrival. Apply in advance for a Lao e-visa, which cost USD 37.45 in 2026 and was issued in about three working days for a 30-day stay. Any Chinese visa must also be arranged before you travel.
Our foreign passport booking guide walks through the 12306 screens step by step.
What is new in late 2026: the Boten to Vientiane intercity train
The freshest addition to the network is the Lao section itself. On 28 September 2026 the Lao-China Railway launched a new C95/C96 intercity service on Lao soil, aimed at commuters and at travellers who want to move between northern Laos and the capital inside one day.
| Train | Route | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| C95 | Boten to Vientiane | 08:00 | 11:47 |
| C96 | Vientiane to Boten | 14:05 | 18:32 |
It stops at Boten, Nateuy, Muang Xay, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane, and initially runs on selected days: C95 on Tuesdays, C96 on Thursdays, and both trains from Friday to Monday. In practice it makes the Lao section bookable as a same-day return trip, which was awkward before.
Three other upgrades landed earlier in 2026. A fifth Lanchang EMU entered service in mid-2025, lifting capacity by more than 1,300 seats a day and frequencies by roughly 15 percent. A baggage car service began on the Lao section on 22 June 2026. And expansion work at Boten station started on 3 June 2026, the first major capacity upgrade on the Lao side since the line opened. Our intercity and regional rail guide explains how this C-train class behaves elsewhere on the network.
Cities worth breaking the journey for
- Kunming. The gateway and Yunnan's capital, mild all year, with the Stone Forest and the old town as easy half-days. Sleep here the night before departure.
- Xishuangbanna. Tropical Yunnan: rainforest, Dai villages and the Mekong close by. The station serves Jinghong.
- Luang Prabang. The headline stop, a UNESCO World Heritage town since 1995, known for its morning alms-giving and the Kuang Si waterfalls.
- Vang Vieng. Karst peaks and river country between Luang Prabang and the capital.
- Vientiane. The terminus, with Patuxai and That Luang. Passenger trains end at Vientiane station, while Vientiane South is the freight hub that links onward to the Thai network.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a paper ticket? Yes. On this route your passport is not the ticket. Collect a paper ticket at a counter before boarding.
How long does the border take? Budget about an hour at Mohan and another at Boten on the current two-stop system. A one-stop system has been agreed but is not yet in force.
Can I book the whole round trip on 12306? No. 12306 sells only departures from China. Use the LCR app or a counter for Laos-origin and return legs.
Is there food on board? Yes, there is a dining car. The run is long, so most travellers also carry water and snacks.
Can I get a Lao visa at the border? Not at the Boten rail port. Arrange an e-visa or a sticker visa before you leave home.
Sources
- China State Railway Group figures reported by People's Daily and Xinhua, three years of China-Laos international passenger services, April 2026
- China Media Group and Lao-China Railway, launch of the C95/C96 Boten to Vientiane intercity train, 28 September 2026
- People's Daily on-board report on the China-Laos Railway and the single-stop border reform, 9 May 2026
- Published timetable for trains D87/D88 and D86/83, D84/85, as at April 2026
- TravelChinaGuide, China-Laos train timetable and fares, updated 9 April 2026
- Lao eVisa fee, validity and processing time, Lao NewPay official channel, quoted July 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage List, Town of Luang Prabang, inscribed 1995
