On 8 March, Russian Railways resumed passenger rail services on the route between Zabaykalsk and Manzhouli. Trains have begun operating again for the first time since 2020. The service includes through carriages from Irkutsk and Chita. The journey from Irkutsk takes approximately 37 hours. The relaunch of the route marks another step towards restoring full transport connectivity between Russia and China.
The expansion of transport accessibility comes amid growing tourist exchanges. According to Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism of China, the country recorded more than 150 million inbound international trips in 2025—17% higher than the previous year. Visa-free entries exceeded 30 million, while total tourist spending reached $130 billion.
Photo: official website of Russian Railways.
The expansion of transport accessibility comes amid growing tourist exchanges. According to Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism of China, the country recorded more than 150 million inbound international trips in 2025—17% higher than the previous year. Visa-free entries exceeded 30 million, while total tourist spending reached $130 billion.
Photo: official website of Russian Railways.