Rail services between China and North Korea that have been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic are relaunching from 12 March 2026, in a move that commentators are interpreting as a sign of increasing bonds between the two Asian nations.
A daily service will operate between the Chinese port city of Dandong on the Yalu River and Pyongyang, while commuters wishing to travel between Beijing and Pyongyang will benefit from a timetable of four trains per week between the two capitals.
In a statement, China Railway hailed the reopened connections as “a moving link that strengthens the friendship between China and North Korea.” Only valid visa holders will be able to buy tickets for the time being, according to a travel agent who spoke to the BBC. They could include cross-border Chinese or North Korean workers or students, or those travelling for family reasons. However, eventually, international travellers will be able to travel in designated carriages, China Railway has said.
CRnews: Starting Mar 12, 2026, international passenger train services will resume in both directions between Beijing and Dandong in China and Pyongyang in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, helping to boost people-to-people exchanges, economic cooperation and cultural… pic.twitter.com/AdxSIUhH84
— China Railway (@ChinaRailways) March 11, 2026
Demand for the services is high, according to Reuters, which has reported that tickets for the first departure from Beijing are sold out. Many ticket holders are entrepreneurs, government officials, and journalists, a Beijing ticket agent told the news outlet.
Economic, political, and infrastructural ties between the two nations have been rekindled in recent months after a period in which Pyongyang had pivoted towards Russia. Reuters reports that Chinese exports to North Korea grew 25% year-on-year to hit $2.3 billion in 2025. Reviews of CSIS satellite imagery by journalists show new infrastructure along the Sino-Korean border, comprising port facilities at Quanhe and roadworks. In addition, a new bridge over the Yalu River, constructed over 10 years ago but still to be inaugurated, received fresh road markings in spring 2025, separating truck entry and passenger vehicle lanes. On the North Korean side, warehouse and cargo facilities have been created, CSIS experts said. Development of these paused without explanation in November 2025. Experts have cited China’s refusal to waive import/export compliance with UN sanctions as part of the explanation for the holdup.
The China-North Korea railway is about to resume service. The Fuxing bullet train from Dandong to Pyongyang is so convenient – it only takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. Can't wait to take the high-speed train to Seoul in the near future.#railroad 🇨🇳👉🇰🇵 @AmbChangHua pic.twitter.com/G4HsshSskk
— 孙松.SunSong (@sunsong0909) March 11, 2026
As North Korea has slowly re-opened to visitors following the end of the pandemic, it has been turning towards Russia, appearing to aim marketing and promotions of “riviera resorts” at Russian holidaymakers, even though China was, by a long way, its largest tourism market prior to the shutdown.
Now, reflecting the reforging of the Sino-Korean relationship, the renewal of passenger train services will “further promote people-to-people exchanges, economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and North Korea,” Chinese rail authorities said.
