Boten–Vientiane railway

The Boten–Vientiane railway is the Lao section of the Lao–China Railway (LCR), running between the capital Vientiane and the northern town of Boten on the border with Yunnan, China. The line was officially opened on 3 December 2021.[9]

Boten–Vientiane railway
A CR200J-train at Vang Vieng station
Overview
Other name(s)
  • Lao–China Railway
  • Laos section of the Kunming–Singapore railway
  • Laos higher-speed rail (Laos HSR)
Native nameທາງລົດໄຟບໍ່ເຕັນ-ນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ / ລົດໄຟ ລາວ ຈີນ (Lao)
磨万铁路 / 中老鐵路老撾段 (Chinese)
StatusOperational
OwnerLaos–China Railway Company Limited
LocaleLaos
Termini
Continues fromYuxi–Mohan railway
Continues asBangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway (planned)
Stations20
Service
Type
Operator(s)China Railway Kunming Group[2]
Rolling stockCR200J, HXD3C
Daily ridership7,000~10,000(Q1,2023)[3]
History
Commenced25 December 2016 (2016-12-25)[4]
Opened3 December 2021 (2021-12-03)[5][6]
Completed12 October 2021 (2021-10-12)[7]
Technical
Line length422[8] km (262 mi)
Number of tracks1
CharacterElevated
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line
Operating speed
  • Passenger:
  • 160 km/h (100 mph)
  • Freight:
  • 120 km/h (75 mph)[4]
Route map

Yuxi–Mohan railway (China)
China–Laos Friendship Tunnel
km
0
Boten
12
Nateuy
28
Na Moh
Na Thong
67
Muang Xay
Na Khok
113
Mueang Nga
Huay Han
Mekong River
167
Luang Prabang
Xieng Ngeun
Sala Phu Khun
239
Mueang Kasi
Ban Pha Daeng
283
Vang Vieng
Vang Khi
342
Phonhong
Ban Saka
Vientiane North
406
Vientiane
Vientiane South
Thanaleng
Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
Northeast railway (Thailand)
Inside the railway station at Vientiane

A collaboration project between Laos and China, the line's northern end is directly connected to the Chinese rail system at Mohan in Yunnan, through the Yuxi–Mohan railway, and has provisions in the south to link with the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway in Thailand and possibly all the way to Singapore via HSR. The railway ends at Vientiane South cargo station. The Boten–Vientiane railway is an integral section of the central line on the Kunming–Singapore railway,[10] and was constructed as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).[11][12]

History

Planning

Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, which gives it a competitive disadvantage in trade.[13] During French rule, the French failed to develop a plan to build railways in Laos, with only the 7 km (4.3 mi) Don Det–Don Khon railway being completed.[14] A railway link from China through Laos would greatly reduce cargo transit times and transportation costs between the two countries.[13]

The first talks about the railway linking Laos and China began in 2001. A Lao politician of Chinese descent, Somsavat Lengsavad, was reportedly the driving force behind the project on the Laotian side. In October 2010, plans were announced for a 530 kilometres (330 mi) standard gauge railway linking Vientiane to Xishuangbanna, in Yunnan province in China.[15][16] Construction was expected to begin in 2011, for completion in 2014.[17][18] There were plans to extend this railway south from Vientiane to Bangkok.[19]

The project initially stalled in the wake of the 2011 corruption scandal involving China's minister of railways, Liu Zhijun, but negotiations continued. In November 2012, the Laotian press reported that the money for the construction of the railway would be borrowed from the EXEM Bank of China,[20] and construction would be started in 2013 and completed in 2018.[15] By 2015, a revised plan was agreed upon, under which both countries would jointly finance and operate the railway with a build-operate-transfer arrangement.[21] Construction work worth US$1.2 billion was awarded to the China Railway Group in September 2015.[21]

Construction and completion

Construction began at Luang Prabang on 25 December 2016.[22] At the end of 2017, the construction phase was 20% completed,[23] and in September 2019 progress was reported as 80% completed.[24] Unexploded bombs that have been dropped during the Vietnam War would also be removed along the route.[25]

As of June 2020, Chinese state media reported that the US$6 billion project was 90% done. Work crews started laying track in Laos in March 2020, five years after breaking ground. With all of the many dozen tunnels and bridges completed, cargo service was scheduled to start from December 2021.[26] In April 2021 the northernmost section in Luang Namtha Province was 97% complete. Track laying of the last started section in Oudomxay Province, would be completed in May, leaving the project well on track for a 2021 opening.[27] Track-laying was officially completed on 12 October 2021.[7] The first EMU was delivered to Vientiane on 16 October 2021, and the line opened on 3 December 2021, a day after the 46th anniversary of the Lao PDR.[9][6]

The railway is expected to boost tourism, with passenger traffic to account for the majority of traffic on the line.[12][28] The Thai province of Nong Khai is also expected to gain more visitors through the railway, as well as fruit exports from Thailand to China benefiting from reduced transportation costs.[29]

As of at least 2023, it is the most significant Belt and Road Initiative project in Laos.[30]:212

Future expansion

Since the line uses a different rail gauge from the existing Thai Northeastern Line link from Bangkok to Thanaleng, running into Thailand is not yet possible for passenger trains. A branch to Thanaleng Dry Port freight yard was completed in July 2022 allowing transfer of cargo between Thai-Laos metre gauge railway and standard gauge railway. However, the Vientiane end of the line will eventually cross the Mekong River on a new bridge to meet up with the Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway once it is completed, making the connection.[31]

Financing

Luang Prabang Station

The cost of the project is estimated at US$5.965 billion[32] or RMB 37.425 billion.[33] The railway is funded by 60% of debt financing ($3.6 billion) from the Export-Import Bank of China and the remaining 40% ($2.4 billion) is funded by a joint venture company between the two countries. China holds 70% of the stake of the company. Of the rest of the stake, Lao government disburses $250 million from its national budget and borrows $480 million further from the Export-Import Bank of China.[34] It is the most expensive and largest project to be constructed in Laos as of 2021.[35]

The cost of the railway has contributed to a US$480 million increase in Lao debt to the Chinese Export Import Bank. Western publications subsequently claimed that Laos could end up falling into a default on its debts.[36][34][37] In 2019, the Australian think-tank Lowy Institute estimated Laos' debt to China at 45 per cent of its GDP.[36] In 2020, American credit agency Fitch Ratings assigned Laos a 'CCC' credit rating, stating that the country has "excessive debt".[35]

Vientiane train station

Ridership

Between January 2021 and December 2021, the Boten–Vientiane railway (also known as China-Laos Railway) transported over 1 million passengers and 500,000 tonnes of cargo, according to the transport authorities of Yunnan Province.[38]

Infrastructure

Bridge construction in Luang Prabang Province
Viaduct under construction near Vientiane.

47% of the railway is spanned over 75 tunnels and 15% is set on viaducts spread over 167 bridges.[21][22] Vientiane railway station, the largest station on the railway, is situated in Xay Village in Xaythany District and consists of four platforms with seven track lines and two additional platforms with three lines reserved; it is expected to connect with other railway lines planned for Laos. The station can accommodate up to 2,500 passengers with a total area of 14,543 square metres.[39]

The railway is built on a single track with passing loops and is electrified to China's Class I trunk railway standards, suitable for 160 km/h (100 mph) passenger and 120 km/h (75 mph) freight trains, making Laos the first country to connect to the Chinese high speed railway network using Chinese technology.[28]

Rolling stock

Passenger services employ CR200J trainsets, and for freight hauling, HXD3CA locomotives are used.[40][41][42]

A train wagon with information in 2 languages

Cargo

On 4 December 2021, a day after opening the China–Laos railway, the Vientiane Logistics Park, one of a total of nine logistics centres in Laos, was officially opened by Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh at Thanaleng.[43]

List of stations

32 stations are planned along the line,[44] of which 21 stations were initially constructed including 10 passenger stations and 11 cargo stations:[45][46][47]

Station nameStation typekm [48]Cumulated travel time Fast TrainCumulated travel time Ordinary Train
BotenPassenger00000h0000h00
Na TeuyPassenger, major01300h0900h11
Na MohPassenger028no stop00h26
Na ThongCargo038no stopno stop
Muang XaiPassenger, major06700h3900h57
Na KhokCargo097no stopno stop
Muang NgaPassenger113no stop01h34
Huoay HanCargo135no stopno stop
Luang PrabangPassenger, major16801h3102h15
Xiang NgeunCargo177no stopno stop
Phou KhounCargo209no stopno stop
KasiPassenger239no stop03h04
Pha DaengCargo256no stopno stop
Vang ViengPassenger, major28302h3103h41
Vang KhiCargo310no stopno stop
Phon HongPassenger342no stop04h23
Phon SoungCargo372no stopno stop
Vientiane NorthCargo388no stopno stop
VientianePassenger, major40603h3505h15
Vientiane SouthCargo419no stopno stop

Controversies

Radio Free Asia reported in October 2021 that some Lao villagers displaced from their land by the line's construction complained that they had still not received compensation.[49]

In the first year of operation, the railway only allowed ticket purchases three days in advance and online sales were not available. That resulted in extremely long lines at ticket offices, and express trains often sold out the day ticket sales opened.[50]

See also

References

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