Xinhua reporting from Nanning on 14 February shows that the daily China–Vietnam international passenger service running between Nanning (Guangxi) and Hanoi has operated at 100 percent seat occupancy throughout the Spring Festival travel rush. The route, relaunched in May 2025 after a pandemic hiatus, has now completed roughly 200 round trips, carrying nearly 20,000 passengers in eight months.
Rail officials attribute the spike to simplified e-ticketing, coordinated border inspections that have cut clearance time to 30 minutes, and aggressive promotional fares—CNY 608 one-way in soft-seat class. Vietnamese tour operators have booked group allocations weeks in advance, while Chinese SMEs use the service to reach Hanoi’s Thang Long Industrial Park for supplier meetings, avoiding peak-season airfares that have risen by 35 percent.
The surge highlights the growing role of cross-border rail in China’s “dual circulation” strategy and aligns with Beijing’s push to internationalise regional rail corridors under the Pan-Beibu Gulf economic cooperation framework. For exporters shipping high-value components, the passenger train’s baggage car offers a same-day courier alternative, with customs processing done en route—a feature popular among electronics firms in Shenzhen and Bac Ninh.
![China–Vietnam International Passenger Train Fully Booked as Lunar New Year Demand Soars]()
Capacity constraints remain: only one round trip operates daily, and berth accommodation is limited. China Railway International says it is studying an evening departure and through-coaches to Guangzhou. Until then, corporate mobility planners should secure tickets early and be prepared for sold-out dates around 20–22 February when return traffic peaks.
To streamline the paperwork side of any Nanning-Hanoi journey, travelers can turn to VisaHQ, whose China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) simplifies applications for Vietnamese e-visas and dozens of other destinations. The platform pre-checks documents, tracks processing deadlines, and offers live support, reducing the risk of last-minute border surprises.
Travellers must carry valid visas (Vietnam offers e-visas for Chinese nationals) and complete health declarations on both sides. Luggage screening adheres to aviation-style restrictions—power banks over 100 Wh are prohibited—and fines for undeclared fresh produce have doubled this season as authorities tighten biosecurity.
Rail officials attribute the spike to simplified e-ticketing, coordinated border inspections that have cut clearance time to 30 minutes, and aggressive promotional fares—CNY 608 one-way in soft-seat class. Vietnamese tour operators have booked group allocations weeks in advance, while Chinese SMEs use the service to reach Hanoi’s Thang Long Industrial Park for supplier meetings, avoiding peak-season airfares that have risen by 35 percent.
The surge highlights the growing role of cross-border rail in China’s “dual circulation” strategy and aligns with Beijing’s push to internationalise regional rail corridors under the Pan-Beibu Gulf economic cooperation framework. For exporters shipping high-value components, the passenger train’s baggage car offers a same-day courier alternative, with customs processing done en route—a feature popular among electronics firms in Shenzhen and Bac Ninh.
Capacity constraints remain: only one round trip operates daily, and berth accommodation is limited. China Railway International says it is studying an evening departure and through-coaches to Guangzhou. Until then, corporate mobility planners should secure tickets early and be prepared for sold-out dates around 20–22 February when return traffic peaks.
To streamline the paperwork side of any Nanning-Hanoi journey, travelers can turn to VisaHQ, whose China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) simplifies applications for Vietnamese e-visas and dozens of other destinations. The platform pre-checks documents, tracks processing deadlines, and offers live support, reducing the risk of last-minute border surprises.
Travellers must carry valid visas (Vietnam offers e-visas for Chinese nationals) and complete health declarations on both sides. Luggage screening adheres to aviation-style restrictions—power banks over 100 Wh are prohibited—and fines for undeclared fresh produce have doubled this season as authorities tighten biosecurity.
