The new semi-high-speed train is transforming travel in Laos, making it more accessible than ever before.

As the train speeds north of Vang Vieng, the haunting sound of a woman crying fills the carriage.

"I’m sorry," Ying, my travel companion on the journey from Vientiane to Luang Namtha aboard Laos' new semi-high-speed rail, apologizes as tears stream down her face.

"It’s just been so long since I last saw my mother," she explains through her sobs.

Ying has been fidgeting restlessly ever since the train departed from Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

Her fingers rapidly swipe between apps on her phone as her restless feet tap a jittery rhythm on the floor.

Her excitement is understandable. Before the introduction of this new train in late 2021, the journey from Vientiane, where she studies, to Luang Namtha, her home province in the far north, was a grueling, arduous trek.

A bus ride along steep, pothole-riddled roads would take at least 20 hours, even under ideal weather and traffic conditions. To cap it off, she would finish the journey on a motorized farm cart, powered by an old two-stroke engine.

Although there are direct flights between Vientiane and Luang Namtha, the high cost of tickets makes them an unaffordable luxury for many. As a result, she has only been able to visit her family once in the past three years.

This sleek new train, however, has changed everything. While she still needs to travel the final stretch on a rickety old cart, the majority of the journey is now completed in under four luxurious, air-conditioned hours.

"Before the train, visiting my family was difficult," says Ying, who is traveling north with her sister and cousin. "I seldom saw them because the roads were so bad and the journey took so long. Now, it's much easier to make the trip."

A quicker pace of travel

Once considered a quiet corner of Southeast Asia, Laos is known for its slow-paced lifestyle. So much so that the acronym in its official name – Lao PDR – is humorously altered from People’s Democratic Republic to Please Don’t Rush. But with the new railway, the pace of life is starting to pick up.

The train connects Vientiane to popular tourist destinations like Vang Vieng – a paradise of limestone formations known for thrilling outdoor activities – as well as Luang Prabang, the picturesque former royal capital, and Luang Namtha, home to a diverse mix of hill tribes and lush mountain landscapes, ideal for trekking and eco-tourism.

This new train could be a game-changer for the tourism sector, which is struggling to recover after the pandemic.

In fact, the semi-high-speed rail now linking Vientiane, just across the Mekong from Thailand, to Boten on the China border, is not only a milestone for Laos – it’s among the most modern rail systems in Southeast Asia today.

The new China-Laos railway, serviced by Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, spans 1,035 kilometers (643 miles). Designed to connect Vientiane to Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan Province, the route will eventually link 45 stations across both countries, with around 20 offering passenger services.

At the moment, passengers cannot continue on to Yunnan in China, as the region remains closed to international tourists. (Laos reopened in May 2022.)

For now, travelers can journey through 422 kilometers of Laos' rugged mountain terrain as the train reaches speeds of up to 160 kph (about 100 mph), passing through 75 tunnels and crossing over 167 bridges and viaducts.

Part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative

This new railway, which is set to eventually connect Beijing, Bangkok, and Singapore over the coming decades, is a key element of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure project launched in 2013 to extend Beijing's global influence.

The majority of funding for the project came from China, although Laos contributed a significant portion as well. Given the country’s escalating debt issues, this financial commitment is increasingly concerning.

Given its origins, it’s no surprise that the railway carries a distinctly Chinese influence. The stations, while grand, have a stark, utilitarian feel, much like those found in China.

Inside Vientiane station, for example, there are no food vendors – a stark contrast to the bustling train stations typical of Southeast Asia. Instead, there are just rows of seats, basic toilet facilities, a few vending machines, and a hot and cold-water dispenser for filling water bottles or preparing instant noodles.

Signs at the stations feature both Chinese and Lao characters, but there is a noticeable lack of information in English.

The train, which can carry 720 passengers in both first- and second-class compartments and runs twice a day between Vientiane and Boten, is decorated with white, red, and blue stripes reflecting the Laotian flag. However, local influence is minimal beyond this.

In general, the train prioritizes practicality over luxury. There’s no dining car or food trolley service, so I’m glad I grabbed some emergency snacks from a sandwich stand near my hotel in Vientiane.

However, the seats are comfortable, there’s ample legroom, and the overhead racks can easily accommodate even the largest suitcases or backpacks. Plus, power outlets beneath the seats keep phones and laptops charged.

As the train speeds northward, we relax and watch the lush, emerald-green landscape unfold outside the window.

On the day I traveled, the train was almost empty of foreign tourists – a result of Laos' current low visitor numbers and the peak of the rainy season.

However, the railway has faced some hurdles in attracting tourists. Currently, tickets are only available for cash purchase within three days of travel (though an online booking system is reportedly being developed).

Adding to the inconvenience, tickets can only be bought at Laos-China Railway stations, which are often located far from city centers like Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Luang Namtha, or at a handful of small non-railway ticket outlets.

Despite these challenges, it seems likely that this new mode of transportation, which quickly connects some of the country's top destinations, will eventually become popular with travelers – especially once China opens its borders and tourists begin to pour in from the north.

One might wonder whether this railway is a luxury that Laos can’t afford. However, there’s no denying that it’s a significant advantage for many Lao people who have never had the opportunity to travel across their country with such freedom or speed.

"I used to dread traveling home to visit my family," says Ying as we near Na Teuy station, the gateway to Luang Namtha city and its surrounding villages. "But now I hope to visit at least a couple of times a year."

With that, she disembarks from the train. Outside the station, her countryside chariot, covered in dust and spewing smoke, waits to carry her group to the family village. Judging by the smile on her face, any lingering nerves about the long-awaited reunion seem to have faded away.

For Ying, trips home have always been more about the destination than the journey – something to be endured. But this time, it seems, she actually enjoyed the ride.