Kunming – Vientiane by Train D887 / D888: via China – Laos Railway 2024

Kunming – Vientiane by Train 2024

Kunming – Vientiane by Railway

Kunming and Vientiane are two beautiful capital cities that are well worth visiting for foreign tourists. The good news is that starting from April 13, 2023, the China – Laos Railway has commenced cross-border passenger service between these two cities, providing a convenient and comfortable way to travel. If you’re planning to visit these two capitals, travelling by train is an affordable and scenic option.

Train No.	From	Departure	To	Arrival	Duration	Frequency	Fares
D87	Kunming South	08:08	Vientiane	16:34	9h26m	1 daily	￥542
D88	Vientiane	08:08	Kunming South	17:34	9h26m	1 daily	￥542
For a live schedule & ticket availability & refer to www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/

Train D887 & D888 were renamed as D87 & D88 since January 2024.

Kunming – Vientiane Railway (China – Laos) Maps

Kunming – Vientiane Train D887 / D888 Schedule

The Kunming – Vientiane international cross-border train started operation on April 13, 2023. The train runs once daily from Kunming South Railway Station (Kunmingnan) and arrive at Vientiane Railway Station, calling at Pu’er Railway Station, Xishuangbanna Railway Station, Mohan Railway Station in China, as well as Boten Station, Luang Prabang Station, Vang Vieng Station in Laos. The whole journey takes around 9h26m.

D887 train from Kunming South to Vientiane				D888 train from Vientiane to Kunming South
No.	Stations	Depart	Arrive	No.	Stations	Depart	Arrive
1	Kunming South	08:08	08:08	1	Vientiane	08:08	08:08
2	Yuxi	08:49	08:45	2	Vang Vieng	09:03	09:00
3	Pu'er	10:42	10:38	3	Luang Prabang	09:57	09:53
4	Xishuangbanna	11:30	11:24	4	Muang Xai	10:44	10:41
5	Mohan	13:23	12:31	5	Boten	12:07	11:15
6	Boten	14:27	13:35	6	Mohan (UTC+8)	13:11	12:19
7	Muang Xai	15:00	14:57	7	Xishuangbanna (UTC+8)	14:16	14:10
8	Luang Prabang	15:49	15:45	8	Pu'er (UTC+8)	15:00	14:56
9	Vang Vieng	16:41	16:38	9	Yuxi	16:56	16:52
10	Vientiane		17:34 (Beijing time)	10	Kunming South (UTC+8)		17:34
Live times at www.chinahighlights.com				Timetable last modified on Mar. 11, 2024

News: Starting from March 10 of 2024, the D87/D88 international train from Kunmingnan to Vientiane has added two new stops. The new stops are Yuxi Railway Station in the China section and Muang Xai Railway Station in the Laos section, bringing the total number of stops along the entire line to 10. Passengers from Yuxi City and Muang Xai in Udomxai Province, Laos, can now conveniently board the China-Laos railway international train from Yuxi Station and Muang Xai Station respectively, embarking on a cross-border journey.

Train No.	From	Departure	To	Arrival	Duration	Frequency	Fares
D87	Kunming South	08:08	Vientiane	16:34	9h26m	1 daily	￥542
D88	Vientiane	08:08	Kunming South	17:34	9h26m	1 daily	￥542
For a live schedule & ticket availability & refer to www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/

D87 train runs from Kunming South (Kunmingnan) at 08:08 (Beijing time) and arrives Vientiane Railway Station (called Wanxiang in Chinese pinyin) at 17:34(Beijing time), taking 9h26.

D88 train departs from Vientiane Railway Station (called Wanxiang in Chinese pinyin) at 09:08 (Beijing time), and reaches at Kunming South Station (Kunmingnan) at 17:34, taking 9h26.

 Buy Train Tickets Online

1. Buy online with official platforms

From China to Laos: Passengers can book D87 train tickets from Kunming to Vientiane online via the official 12306 China Railway website www.12306.cn  (English version) or official booking APP: Tielu 12306 (English version for iOS) or Railway 12306 for Android English version.

From Laos to China: For D88 train tickets from Vientaine to Kunming, passengers can book them online via the official LCR Ticket app: LCR Ticket Android or LCR Ticket iOS.

LCR Ticket APP is the official phone application for booking Laos rail tickets. It is owned by Laos-China Railway Co. Ltd. (LCR) and offer services in 3 languages: the Chinese, English and Laotian. With the app, passengers can check real-time schedule, purchase tickets, and make online payment and ticket refund, etc. It has both Android and iOS versions.

2. Buy tickets with online ticket agents

www.chinahighlights.com and www.Trip.com are the two most recommended and trusted online ticket agents on Trip Advisor forum. Lots of foreign travelers had use their websites to check live train schedule and book ticekt with them. They even provide ticket delivery service. You can read some reviews on Trip Advisor before using them.

 Buy Tickets at Train Station

You can also buy tickets at a train station, you can purchase them in person at stations in China or train stations in Laos

For buying D87 Kunming to Vientiane train tickets, you can buy at train stations below:

For D88 train tickets from Vientiane to Kunming, passengers can purchase them at stations such as Vientiane Railway Station, Vang Vieng Railway Station, Luang Prabang Railway Station, and Boten Railway Station. At the train station, you will need to provide your passport and other relevant information and pay in cash.

When to Buy Train Tickets

It’s recommended to buy the cross-border train tickets in advance, especially during peak travel periods such as the Chinese holidays (Labour Day, National Golden Week, Lunar New Year). Train tickets can be purchased online up to 15 days in advance for D87 and D88 trains. Book early to secure your preferred seats and avoid disappointment.

Immigration & Customs

Passengers will go through immigration and customs control when crossing the border from China to Laos or vice versa. Make sure to have your passport, visa, and relevant documents ready for inspection. You will also need to declare any items that are restricted or prohibited by law in both China and Laos. The immigration and customs procedure may take some time in Mohan Railway Station of China, and in Boten Railway Station of Laos, so make sure to plan accordingly.

 Apply Visa in Advance

To travel between China and Laos via the cross-border train, foreign tourists need to obtain a visa in advance. The Mohan Railway Station Port and the Boten Railway Station Port  do not provide visa-on-arrival services. Make sure to check the visa requirements and apply for a visa in a timely manner before your trip.

In Kunming, you need to go to the Consulate of Laos in Kunming in Caiyunbei Lu in Guandu District to  apply for a visa to Laos. Office hour:

• Monday to Friday
• Morning: 09:00 – 11:30
• Afternoon: 14:00 – 16:00

Appart from Laos Consulate in Kunming, you can also apply visa to Laos via Laos Consulate in Jinghong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanning, Changsha and Hong Kong.

FAQ

• Is there a rail link from Kunming to Vientiane?

• Yes, the China – Laos Railway offers cross-border passenger service between Kunming and Vientiane.

• How long is the train from Kunming to Vientiane?

• The journey time for the D87 train from Kunming to Vientiane is 10 hours and 30 minutes.

• How far is Kunming from Vientiane?

• Kunming is about 610 kilometers from Vientiane.

• Is there a railway from Laos to Yunnan?

• Yes, the China – Laos Railway connects Laos to Yunnan province in China.

• Is the Kunming – Vientiane train a high speed train ?

• No, the Kunming – Vietiane train services are using China Railway CR200J trainset,that are running at a top speed of 160 km/h, which is called Lancanghao (澜沧号) and named after the Lancang River (rom Grong).

Getting to train stations & airports in Kunming

Destinations	Getting there
Kunming South Station	Line 1 Line 4
Kunming Train Station	Line 1
Kunming Changshui Airport	Line 6
Kunming Metro Map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunming_Metro

Reading More

Kunming to Hekou, Kunming to Vang Vieng, Kunming to Luang Prabang