China and Vietnam resumed passenger rail service between Hanoi and Nanning on May 26, 2025, reinstating a cross-border route that had been suspended for five years due to pandemic-related border closures. The move is expected to support growing tourism and facilitate international travel in both countries.
The train service, initially launched in 2009, was halted in February 2020 as Asian countries sealed borders to curb the spread of Covid-19. The revived 11.5-hour journey connects Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, with Nanning in China’s Guangxi region, allowing for further travel within China’s high-speed railway network to destinations such as Beijing and Shanghai.
Authorities and analysts view the route’s reopening as a strategic move to bolster post-pandemic tourism and cross-border connectivity. Vietnam has seen an uptick in Chinese tourist arrivals, and Chinese policymakers have in turn expanded visa-free entry for tourists, including conditional visa waivers for Vietnamese citizens traveling in tour groups through designated entry points.
According to data from Statista, Vietnamese travellers made up 4% of total arrivals to mainland China in 2023. By the third quarter of 2024, they numbered over 23,000—second only to visitors from Hong Kong, based on figures from China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In 2024, Vietnam reported a 114% increase in Chinese visitors compared to the previous year, with 3.7 million arrivals, and nearly 1.6 million arriving in the first quarter of 2025 alone, according to Vietnam+ and China’s Global Times.
The T8701 service, composed of sleeper cars, is part of broader regional efforts to expand cross-border rail infrastructure, which also supports growing trade flows driven by export-oriented manufacturing sectors in both nations. Prior to the route’s restoration, most Vietnamese tourists used low-cost flights or buses to reach Chinese cities.
International travellers, particularly backpackers, may also benefit from the route. With China offering 30-day visa-free access to nationals of 38 countries, including Singapore, Australia, and several EU members, the train could become a practical option for overland travel.
The reopening was covered by Chinese state media, including Xinhua, and welcomed by industry observers such as Steven Zhao, head of Guilin-based China Highlights, and Dan Martin of Dezan Shira & Associates in Hanoi.
