KUNMING -- The China-Laos Railway has handled 73.38 million passenger trips since opening in December 2021, including more than 840,000 cross-border journeys, railway authorities said Thursday.

As of Wednesday, passenger trains on the line had made over 100,000 trips, according to China Railway Kunming Group.

Passenger demand has grown steadily. Monthly trips on the whole line have risen from about 600,000 in the early stage of operation to a peak of 2.25 million. On the Chinese section, daily passenger services have increased from eight to a peak of 86, while on the Laos section these have risen from four to a peak of 18.

Cross-border passenger services have become a major driver of the railway's growth. On April 13, 2023, international passenger trains began operating in both directions between Kunming South Station in Southwest China's Yunnan province and Vientiane, the Lao capital, providing a more convenient option for travel and tourism between the two countries.

The route now operates four international passenger trains daily, with the fastest journey taking nine hours and 36 minutes. Customs clearance at the Mohan railway port now takes about 50 minutes.

Passenger traffic has continued to rise this year. As of Wednesday, the railway had handled 9.27 million passenger trips, up 7.5 percent year-on-year. Cross-border passenger trips reached 164,000, up 35.3 percent.