A high-speed train connecting major cities in three countries is coming soon to Southeast Asia.
The Thailand-China high-speed train, which will be Thailand's first high-speed railway, is making great progress. The train will connect Bangkok, Thailand, to Vientiane, Laos, and Yunnan, China.
Despite delays, the $10 billion project has an estimated completion date of 2030. Once completed, the train will move at just over 155 miles per hour. It's not the fastest high-speed railway out there, but it'll drastically reduce travel time. A traveler in Bangkok could reach Vientiane in just over two hours, a train trip that would otherwise take around nine hours.
Not only will the railway make traveling quicker, but the three countries will also enjoy a boost to the economy. Goods can more easily be transported, and tourism is expected to rise, too. According to Railway Supply, "Travelers will experience faster, more convenient cross-border rail services. This seamless connection will mark a new era in regional transportation and trade."
Public transportation — like trains, buses, and subways — helps lower global transportation pollution. Trains are far more energy-efficient than gas-powered vehicles and carry "between 7% and 8% of freight and motorized passenger traffic, globally, yet they account for just 2% of energy use in the transportation sector," according to the High Speed Rail Alliance.
Currently, over 20 countries have high-speed railways, including Japan, France, China, and Germany. The U.S. has no high-speed railways yet, but several high-speed railway projects are underway.
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Deng Haoji, the COO of Chongqing Hongjiu Fruit, believes the railway will be groundbreaking for transporting goods.
"We're having high expectations for the role of this rail link … It is set to open a direct logistical link between China and Thailand as well as other Southeast Asian countries — with higher operational efficiency and lower cost," Haoji said, according to Global Times.
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