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Russia, North Korea to resume direct train service between Moscow and Pyongyang on June 17
Russia and North Korea are set to resume direct passenger train services this month, the first such move since travel was halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Russia's state-owned railway company.
Russian Railways announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement with North Korea's railway ministry to relaunch a twice-monthly train route between Moscow and North Korean capital Pyongyang starting June 17. The journey, which spans more than 10,000 km (6,213 miles) and takes eight days, is believed to be the longest continuous rail route in the world.
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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.
With inputs from agencies
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