Beijing, 12 March: Passenger train services between China and North Korea are set to resume this week, restoring a major cross-border travel connection that had remained suspended since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
China Railway announced that trains linking Beijing with Pyongyang will run four times a week, while a daily service will operate between the Chinese border city of Dandong and the North Korean capital. The first trains are expected to depart on Thursday, marking the first passenger rail movement between the two countries in six years.
Rail authorities described the route as an important channel for strengthening long-standing ties between the neighboring states. Officials say the reopening will help revive cross-border exchanges that were largely halted when North Korea sealed its borders at the start of the pandemic.
Limited Access for Travelers
Despite the reopening, travel on the routes will initially remain restricted. Tickets are currently available only to people with valid visas, including Chinese citizens working or studying in North Korea and North Koreans traveling abroad for employment, education or family visits. Travel agents say tourists and most business travelers are not yet eligible to purchase tickets.
Demand for the first services appears strong. According to reports from ticket offices, seats on the initial departure sold out quickly, with passengers including entrepreneurs, government officials and journalists.
Diplomatic Backdrop
The rail reopening comes amid renewed diplomatic messaging between the two countries’ leadership. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing confidence that cooperation between the two nations would deepen as they pursue what he described as a shared socialist path.
China has historically been North Korea’s most important economic partner, providing trade and political support to the isolated state.
Tourism Still Uncertain
Before 2020, Chinese visitors accounted for a large share of foreign tourists traveling to North Korea. Although the country began cautiously reopening to limited tourism in 2024 and has promoted projects such as seaside resorts, international travel remains tightly controlled.
Recent developments also suggest the reopening process is uneven. Travel companies reported that the Pyongyang International Marathon, one of the country’s few events open to foreign participants, was unexpectedly cancelled this year without explanation.
Gradual Reconnection
The restart of passenger trains signals a cautious step toward restoring normal cross-border movement after years of strict pandemic controls. While access remains limited for now, the renewed rail link could eventually expand travel options and facilitate broader economic and cultural exchanges between the two neighboring countries.
