Beijing-Pyongyang Rail Link Restored After Six Years, Signaling Renewed Ties

By Iyojo Ameh

The first passenger train between Beijing and Pyongyang in six years departed Thursday, marking a revival of cross-border rail service suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Train K27 left Beijing Railway Station and is set to arrive in Pyongyang at 6:07 p.m. on Friday after a 24-hour, 41-minute journey that passes north of the Bohai Sea and includes a stop in Dandong, China’s railway authorities said.

Officials described the resumption as part of broader efforts to strengthen infrastructure links and rebuild ties between China and North Korea.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson called the countries “friendly neighbours,” emphasizing that the rail service supports people-to-people exchanges and smoother communication.

The Beijing–Pyongyang route will operate four days a week—Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—with tickets limited to business visa holders.

Meanwhile, the shorter Dandong–Pyongyang line will run daily in both directions.
Cross-border flights, also halted during the pandemic, have gradually resumed, with Air Koryo offering twice-weekly services between the two capitals since 2023.