International passenger train between China’s Suifenhe and Russia’s Grodekovo resumes service

Passengers prepare to board the international passenger train from China's Suifenhe Station to Russia's Grodekovo Station, on December 15, 2024. (Photo/Courtesy of China Railway Harbin Group Co)

The international passenger train linking Suifenhe in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Grodekovo in Russia resumed service on Sunday, operating one round trip per day, according to China Railway Harbin Group Co.

The restored train operates daily, with the departure from Suifenhe at 9:52 am and from Grodekovo at 3:43 pm, the Chinese railway operator told the Global Times on Sunday in a statement.

According to Russian News Agency TASS, the route suspended services in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restoration of the rail passenger service is expected to boost China-Russia economic and trade cooperation, especially in services trade like cross-border tourism, Zhang Hong, a research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

China's tourism market has rapidly recovered after the pandemic, with growing demand for cross-border travel, Zhang added.

In 2023, Russia saw 997,900 tourists visiting China, while 477,000 Chinese tourists traveled to Russia, according to a People's Daily report in July.

The regional effect of this kind of border connectivity is significant, as it can also stimulate the trade of border goods between China's northeastern region and Russia's Far East. While border trade accounts for a small portion of overall bilateral trade, it holds considerable growth potential and can contribute to the economic recovery of both regions, Zhang noted.

In 2023, the trade volume between China and Russia reached a record high of $240.1 billion, surpassing the $200 billion trade target ahead of schedule and is nearly 1.7 times higher than 10 years ago. China has remained Russia's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, per data from the Ministry of Commerce and the Xinhua News Agency.

Cooperation between the two countries' border regions and local areas is dynamic, with great potential and positive trade momentum. Key projects are advancing smoothly, and connectivity is being continuously optimized, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister and Deputy China International Trade Representative Ling Ji said in May while visiting Moscow.

China is committed to working with Russia to unlock the potential of land transport, promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and create favorable conditions for bilateral trade and investment cooperation, Ling said.

On December 10, the passenger transportation service between the Heihe Highway Port in China and the Kanikurgan Highway Port in Russia officially began. Four buses operate daily in both directions, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

On Saturday, the floating icebreaker channel from Tongjiang East Port in Heilongjiang to Russia's Leninskoye Port officially began its 2024-2025 operational season, opening 43 days earlier than last year, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

This channel not only shortens the international logistics route from Tongjiang but also provides a convenient option for cross-border tourism, allowing travelers to reach Russia in just five minutes, CMG said.