Passenger trains between Russia and North Korea set to resume
Russian Railways said it had agreed with North Korea's railways ministry to resume a twice-monthly service between the two capitals on June 17, a journey it said took eight days and which, at over 10,000 km (6,213 miles), was the longest direct rail journey in the world.
Another service between Pyongyang and Khabarovsk, a Russian city close to China's northeastern border, will restart two days later.
The services will be operated by Korean State Railway, the state operator, and in the case of the Moscow-Pyongyang route will see a North Korean passenger railcar hitched to the regular Moscow- Vladivostok service and then re-attached to another train.
Passenger rail traffic between Russia and North Korea was suspended in February 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Moscow and Pyongyang have since ratcheted up cooperation, including in the military sphere since President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty last year.
North Korea confirmed in late April that it had sent more than 10,000 troops and weapons to Russia to assist in its war in Ukraine, aid which proved crucial for Moscow in recapturing Russia's western Kursk region from Ukraine.
The two countries already operate a passenger rail service between Vladivostok in Russia's Far East and Rason, a North Korean port city.
The nations are also linked by freight rail networks, although Russia does not disclose the size of the cargo traffic.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Russia starts direct commercial flights between Moscow and Pyongyang
Russia on Sunday opened a regular air link between Moscow and Pyogyang, a move reflecting increasingly close ties between the two countries. The first flight operated by Russian carrier Nordwind took off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport carrying over 400 passengers. Russia's Transport Ministry said there will be one flight a month to meet demand. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited North Korea 's new Wonsan-Kalma beach resort earlier this month to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, promised to encourage Russian tourists to visit the complex. The resort, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, is at the center of Kim's push to boost tourism to improve his country's troubled economy. North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism. Regular flights between Russia's eastern port city of Vladivostok and Pyongyang reopened in 2023 following a break caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Russia and North Korea have sharply expanded military and other ties in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's military action in Ukraine.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Russia launches first direct passenger flights connecting Moscow and Pyongyang in decades
Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea 's capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Russian authorities said, as the two former communist bloc allies move to improve ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The start of regular flights between the capitals for the first time since the mid-1990s, according to Russian aviation blogs, follows the resumption of Moscow-Pyongyang passenger rail service, a 10-day journey, in June. The first flight will leave Sheremetyevo airport at 7pm (1600 GMT), according to the airport's timetable. The eight-hour flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER with a capacity of 440 passengers, Russia's RIA state news agency said on Sunday. It said tickets started at 44,700 roubles ($563), and the first flight quickly sold out. Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia has granted Nordwind Airlines permission to operate flights between Moscow and Pyongyang twice a week. The transport ministry said in a statement that for now flights would operate once a month, "to help build stable demand". The only direct air route between Russia and North Korea has been flights by North Korean carrier Air Koryo to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East three times a week. Ukraine and its Western allies have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery and ballistic missiles. Moscow and Pyongyang deny the allegations. Pyongyang has deployed more than 10,000 troops and arms to Russia to back Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said this month his country was ready to "unconditionally support" Moscow's efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
Reuters
14 hours ago
- Reuters
Russia starts first Moscow-Pyongyang passenger flights in decades
July 27 (Reuters) - Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea's capital Pyongyang on Sunday, Russian authorities said, as the two former communist bloc allies move to improve ties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The start of regular flights between the capitals for the first time since the mid-1990s, according to Russian aviation blogs, follows the resumption of Moscow-Pyongyang passenger rail service, a 10-day journey, in June. The first flight will leave Sheremetyevo airport at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT), according to the airport's timetable. The eight-hour flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER with a capacity of 440 passengers, Russia's RIA state news agency said on Sunday. It said tickets started at 44,700 roubles ($563), and the first flight quickly sold out. Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia has granted Nordwind Airlines permission to operate flights between Moscow and Pyongyang twice a week. The transport ministry said in a statement that for now flights would operate once a month, "to help build stable demand". The only direct air route between Russia and North Korea has been flights by North Korean carrier Air Koryo to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East three times a week. Ukraine and its Western allies have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery and ballistic missiles. Moscow and Pyongyang deny the allegations. Pyongyang has deployed more than 10,000 troops and arms to Russia to back Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said this month his country was ready to "unconditionally support" Moscow's efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. ($1 = 79.4000 roubles)
