As Laos is currently still closed to most people. who's going to use this fast , modern train?

I'd love to take it one day, Kunming is ( was) a great city spent lots of time up there in the early 90's

Women pose next to a train during a Buddhist ceremony at Vientian Station on Thursday, one day prior to the handover ceremony of the high-speed rail project linking the Chinese southwestern city of Kunming with Vientiane. (Reuters photo)

VIENTIANE: Laos is set to open a US$6 billion Chinese-built railway on Friday, with debt concerns balanced against hopes it could boost the reclusive nation's struggling economy.

VIENTIANE: Laos is set to open a US$6 billion Chinese-built railway on Friday, with debt concerns balanced against hopes it could boost the reclusive nation's struggling economy.

The 414-kilometre route took five years to construct under China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.

The communist-run country of 7.2 million people previously had only four kilometres of railway tracks.

But now sleek red, blue and white bullet trains will speed along the new line at up to 160 kilometres per hourm, passing through 75 tunnels and across 167 bridges, stopping at 10 passenger stations.

Passenger services are expected to begin on Saturday, state media reported, although only for those fully vaccinated.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2226147

Thread: the-rest-the-world/what-china-doing-laos-t28470.html

It's a shame the Chinese didn't build the Cambodian railway system.

The Cambodian railway could easily go much faster if they just built 2 overpasses (or underpasses) and added some fences for cows.
Even the old french colonial wood powered locomotives that are still functional at the railway station can go over 100km/h.
The problem lies in the railway crossing the road 3 times on the way to shianukville and the fact that there are very often obstacles on the railway.
(Cows, abandoned objects and idiots primarily)
Which could be solved with cheap fences.

Now that they reopened the Kep railway station if they can manage to get a passenger train within 2h to it and as they already do allow Motos that would make for an interesting weekend option for Phnom Penh residents.

Passenger rail is the lowest priority for Royal

In Laos, people keep stealing parts from the railway and also cutting electrical cables.

https://laotiantimes.com/2021/09/27/man ... omponents/

^^