The China-Laos Railway, a landmark infrastructure project of the Belt and Road Initiative, started cross-border passenger service on April 13.

The train's designers said they've made every effort to provide a premium travel experience.

Two international passenger trains — one departing from Kunming, Yunnan province, and the other from Vientiane, Laos — headed toward each other on April 13.

The international passenger train service allows passengers to reach either destination in a day.

The trains, manufactured by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and CRRC Dalian — subsidiaries of China Railway Rolling Stock Corp — are designed to go 160 kilometers per hour. They can carry up to 720 passengers.

According to CRRC Qingdao Sifang, the trains are designed in harmony with the natural landscape and serve cross-border operating needs in light of the two countries' cultural requirements.

Li Zhong, vice-director of CRRC Qingdao Sifang's technology center, said Chinese and Lao standard power sockets and USB ports are available under each seat on the train. Onboard signage is multilingual — presented in Chinese, Lao and English.

"Time information will be switched automatically between different time zones, and 3G and 4G networks from both countries are available to meet the needs of passengers," Li said.

The trains use strict cabin pressure standards to reduce the discomfort of passengers' ears in tunnels along the line, Li added.

(chinadaily.com.cn)