North Korea and China to resume passenger train service after 6 years

The vital rail link between Beijing and Pyongyang has officially reopened for the first time in six years, signaling a cautious thaw in North Korea’s self-imposed isolation. Tickets for the inaugural March 12 departure sold out days in advance, according to Beijing’s official ticketing office, marking the end of a suspension that began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The resumption of service restores a critical transport artery between North Korea and its primary economic benefactor, China. For the time being, however, the passenger list remains exclusive; the journey is currently restricted to those holding business visas, with early bookings dominated by entrepreneurs, government officials, and members of the press.

According to a notice from China’s railway authority, the Beijing-Pyongyang route will operate four times weekly—on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Additionally, the daily service between the border city of Dandong and the North Korean capital has also been reinstated. Chinese officials stated that the move is intended to "further promote travel, trade, and economic cooperation" while strengthening the long-standing "friendship" between the two nations.

Despite the trains running again, North Korea remains largely shuttered to the outside world. Foreign tourism is still heavily restricted, with only limited exceptions made for highly controlled Russian tour groups. While Chinese visitors once made up the vast majority of the country's tourism revenue, there is no clear timeline for when the general public will be allowed to return to the "Hermit Kingdom."

Adding to the sense of continued caution, travel agencies reported Monday that North Korea has abruptly canceled next month’s Pyongyang Marathon for unspecified reasons. The race has historically been one of the few windows for international participants to enter the isolated state, and its cancellation suggests that despite the new rail schedule, the country is not yet ready for a full-scale reopening.