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China and North Korea Resume Limited Passenger Rail Links Starting March 12

The restart proceeds under tight controls that prioritize official travel while general tourism remains largely shut.

Overview

  • China’s state railway said the BeijingPyongyang service will operate four times a week beginning March 12.
  • Only the last two carriages will carry passengers at first, with priority for diplomats and people on official missions.
  • Public tickets will be sold only if seats remain available, and travel agencies reported no sales to tourists.
  • Bookings are limited to certain Chinese and North Korean residents, such as Chinese working or studying in North Korea and North Koreans working or studying abroad or visiting family.
  • Passenger service was halted in early 2020 as borders closed for COVID-19, freight resumed in 2022, and officials now frame the move as promoting exchanges, though some circulated documents and ticket images had not been independently verified.