China and North Korea will resume international passenger rail transport, suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chinese railway operator confirmed the resumption of services in an announcement posted on social media. According to available information, passenger trains will run again between the two countries starting this week.
An international rail service will connect Beijing to Pyongyang, with departures scheduled several times a week. At the same time, passenger trains will run daily between Dandong, a Chinese city on the border with North Korea, and Sinuiju, the main railway border crossing point on the North Korean side.
According to the Chinese authorities, the resumption of passenger trains is intended to facilitate exchanges between the two countries.
Rail traffic had been suspended in 2020
Passenger rail transport between China and North Korea was suspended in early 2020 after Pyongyang closed its borders as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
However, freight rail traffic on the Dandong – Sinuiju route resumed in 2022.
The resumption of passenger trains is one of the most important steps towards restoring cross-border traffic between the two countries after the pandemic.
According to tour operators specializing in travel to North Korea, the trains will offer a more affordable alternative to flights operated by the North Korean airline Air Koryo.
An essential rail link for North Korea
The railway line between Dandong and Sinuiju is one of North Korea’s most important international connections. Most of the trade between the two countries passes through this border crossing, with China being Pyongyang’s main economic partner.
The rail link crosses the Yalu River and connects the Chinese and North Korean rail networks, allowing both freight transport and international passenger trains to run.
Tourism remains limited
For now, the resumption of train services does not appear to include international tourism. North Korean authorities have sent mixed signals about reopening the country to foreign visitors.
Currently, Russian citizens are the only foreign tourists who can visit North Korea, and last year more than 10,000 Russian visitors traveled to the country.
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