Beijing: Passenger train services between China and North Korea will resume on March 12, restoring a key cross-border transport link that had been suspended for six years due to the pandemic.
According to China Railway, trains between Beijing and Pyongyang will run four times a week. Meanwhile, a daily service will operate between the Chinese border city of Dandong and the North Korean capital.
The rail operator described the service as a moving link that strengthens the friendship between China and North Korea, highlighting its importance for cross-border exchanges.
Although China fully reopened after the pandemic, North Korea has been easing restrictions more gradually. The country began allowing a limited number of tourists in 2024 as part of a cautious reopening process.
International travellers are permitted to use specific carriages on the Beijing–Pyongyang route, according to China Railway. However, travel agents said that tourists are currently not eligible to purchase tickets.
Another travel agent said tickets are available only to passengers with valid visas, including Chinese citizens who work or study in North Korea, as well as North Koreans travelling abroad for work, study, or family visits. Tickets for the first train departing have already sold out.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said maintaining regular passenger train services between the two countries is of great significance in facilitating people-to-people exchanges.
Before the pandemic forced the country to seal its borders in early 2020, Chinese tourists accounted for the majority of foreign visitors to North Korea. As part of efforts to revive tourism, Pyongyang has launched projects including a new seaside resort, though some initiatives have faced delays and suspensions.
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