China-North Korea Train: A passenger train linking North Korea and China arrived in Beijing on Friday, marking the first such service between the two countries in six years, according to reports from Chinese and South Korean state media. China is North Korea's largest trading partner.
The resumed train services will connect Beijing and Dandong in China with Pyongyang, helping facilitate cross-border travel and promoting economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between the nations as reported by the Chinese railway operator, Xinhua.
The train, which left Pyongyang yesterday, reached a station in Beijing at 8:40 am local time today, Yonhap reported.
Additionally, another passenger train traveling from Beijing to Pyongyang, which also left yesterday, is scheduled to reach its destination in Pyongyang at 6:07 pm today.
These services were suspended in January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, halting train operations between the two countries.
On Tuesday, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. announced that international passenger trains between China and North Korea would begin running in both directions starting Thursday, according to Chinese state media Xinhua.
Trains between Beijing and Pyongyang will operate four times per week, while the service between Dandong and Pyongyang will run daily, as outlined in a notice from China Railway issued late Tuesday.
Does Pyongyang Connect To Any Other Countries By Rail?
North Korea has very limited international train connections, and China is the main one, but it is not the only country connected by rail. The most active rail link connects Pyongyang with Beijing and Dandong. Trains cross the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge. This route has historically carried both passengers and cargo.
The second one is North Korea-Russia. There is also a rail connection between Pyongyang and Vladivostok. The border crossing occurs near Khasan and Tumangang. In the past, a direct Moscow-Pyongyang train operated and was one of the longest train routes in the world. When Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang, he took the same rail route.
Third one is North Korea to South Korea. This route is not operational every time. Rail lines technically connect both countries across the Korean Demilitarised Zone. However, passenger trains do not run due to political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.