A new cold-storage rail service is moving durians from Thailand through Laos to southwest China's Yunnan province, with trainloads now reaching Kunming each morning. [1]
The service carries fruit from Laem Chabang Port to Kunming in chilled rail carriages set at 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit). [1] The faster route cuts transit time to 3 days to Kunming and 5 days to Chengdu. [1]
Thai durians are reaching Chinese markets in larger volumes through the rail link, and the service is expected to transport more than 200,000 tonnes this year. [1] The added supply has pushed imported durian prices in China down by 30%. [1]
The rail link runs through Laos on the way to Yunnan, giving exporters a direct corridor into southwest China. [1]
The service is expected to move more than 200,000 tonnes of durians in 2026. [1]
