China’s first North Korea-bound train in six years set to depart from Beijing

BEIJING: The first passenger train service between China and North Korea after a six-year hiatus is scheduled to set off ​from Beijing on Thursday, part of a series of ‌moves by China to shore up cross-border infrastructure and rebuild bilateral ties.

Following a 24 hour and 41 minute journey skirting north of the Bohai Sea ​and a stopover in China’s northeastern border city of Dandong, train ​K27 from Beijing is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang ⁠at 6:07 p.m. (0907 GMT) on Friday, according to a Tuesday notice ​from China’s railway authority.

Philippines, Japan, US hold joint military drills in South China Sea

China and North Korea are “friendly neighbours” and a ​cross-border passenger train service facilitates people-to-people exchanges between the two, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday.

China also supports the strengthening of communication between authorities ​on both sides to create more convenient conditions for bilateral personnel ​exchanges, the spokesperson added.

The train service was suspended when the COVID-19 pandemic broke ‌out ⁠in 2020.

Restricted tickets

The Beijing-Pyongyang route will operate four days a week, in both directions, on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, according to a notice by China’s railway authority. The Dandong-Pyongyang route will ​operate daily in ​both directions.

The tickets, ⁠restricted to business visa holders, were sold out for Thursday’s trip, but those for March 18 were ​still available, a Beijing travel agency said.

North Korea says another South Korean drone entered its airspace

State-run news ​agency Xinhua ⁠said on Tuesday that the route aimed to facilitate cross-border travel, economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.

North Korea is largely closed ⁠to ​foreign tourism, with limited exceptions largely for ​Russian tour groups under restricted arrangements, according to travel agencies organising trips to the ​country.