First train from Pyongyang arrives in Moscow after five-year hiatus
A direct train service has restarted between the capitals of North Korea and Russia. A train from Pyongyang arrived in Moscow for the first time in five years.
Earlier this month, state-run Russian Railways announced the resumption of the service, which had been halted since February 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The operator says the world's longest direct route covers more than 10,000 kilometers and the journey takes eight days.
On Wednesday, a train arrived at Moscow's Yaroslavsky Station one hour later than scheduled. Only one carriage was from North Korea. It was connected to a Trans-Siberian Railway train.
The first train is likely to be a test run. A North Korean railway representative said there were no passengers in the carriage.
A ceremony to mark the resumption of the service did not take place. Several conductors stepped onto the platform and left the station after responding to Russian media.
There will reportedly be two round-trip journeys between the capitals every month.
Russia and North Korea are apparently aiming to promote people-to-people exchanges and show their strong bilateral ties by restarting the train service.
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