Cross-border travel rush
China-Vietnam rail sees record demand during Spring Festival
The China-Vietnam international passenger train has recorded its first-ever full-capacity occupancy during the Spring Festival travel rush in 2026, signaling a strong rebound in people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
According to China Railway, all sleeper berths and seats on the service were sold out from the start of the nine-day holiday period to its conclusion.
Since cross-border services resumed in May 2025 following the pandemic, the train has completed over 200 round trips, carrying nearly 20,000 passengers. This Spring Festival marks the first time the route has maintained a full-load factor for an extended duration.
The 396-kilometer overnight service connects Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with Vietnam's capital, Hanoi. It features streamlined border clearance procedures at Pingxiang Port in Guangxi. The surge in demand is being driven by overseas Chinese returning home via Vietnam, as well as a growing number of Vietnamese tourists heading to popular southern Chinese destinations such as Guilin and Guangzhou.
