First China-North Korea train set to depart after six-year halt

After a six-year hiatus due to COVID-19, train services between China and North Korea are set to resume.

Updated on: Mar 12, 2026, 11:38:57 IST

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Passenger train services between China and North Korea were set to resume on Thursday following a six-year hiatus, railway authorities and tour agencies said, after the link was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The first train will depart from Beijing to Pyongyang, marking a new chapter in cross-border travel. (Photo for representation) (AFP)

China is North Korea's largest trading partner and a vital source of diplomatic, economic and political support for the isolated nuclear state.

Train journeys between the East Asian neighbours were halted in 2020 under strict border closures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

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However, China Railway said that regular train services would resume on Thursday, with the first set to depart from the Chinese capital on Thursday evening bound for Pyongyang.

The K27 train would make a few stops, including at the port city of Tianjin, and then head northeast to Dandong, a Chinese city bordering North Korea.

Wagons holding passengers bound for Pyongyang will then be attached to another train there, taking them across the border to the nearby North Korean city of Sinuiju, said Rowan Beard from Young Pioneer Tours, a company specialising in North Korea travel.

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Beard said those wagons, as well as North Korean domestic carriages, would be attached to a new train that would then head to Pyongyang, where China Railway said it would arrive on Friday evening.

China Railway also said there would be a separate daily service between Dandong and Pyongyang.

Travel agents for an official ticketing booth in Beijing told AFP on Tuesday that anyone with a valid visa was now able to buy train tickets to the North.

This would include Chinese people working and studying in North Korea, as well as North Koreans working, studying and visiting family abroad.

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Trains will run in both directions between Beijing and Pyongyang every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, China Railway said.

Entry and exit procedures would be completed at the Dandong border crossing and at Sinuiju in North Korea, it added.

Tickets are currently available for offline purchase at several Chinese cities, the statement added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.