Moscow-Pyongyang train route to resume on June 17 after four-year pause

The Moscow-Pyongyang train route, suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, will officially resume operations on June 17, according to Russian Railways.

In a Telegram announcement on June 9, Russian Railways stated that the international rail service between Moscow and Pyongyang will restart following an agreement with North Korean railway authorities.

Trains between Moscow and Pyongyang will run twice a month. Departures from Pyongyang will occur on the 3rd and 17th of each month, arriving in Moscow on the 11th and 25th. Trains leaving Moscow will depart on the 12th and 26th, arriving in Pyongyang on the 20th and 4th, respectively.

Russian Railways described it as the longest direct international train route in the world. The full journey covers over 10,000 kilometers(6,213 miles) and takes approximately eight days.

The train will stop in several Russian cities, including Khasan, Ussuriysk, Khabarovsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Kirov, and Kostroma.

In addition to the Moscow service, a new monthly direct train between Pyongyang and Khabarovsk, in Russia’s Far East, will launch on June 19. Trains will depart Pyongyang on the 19th and arrive in Khabarovsk on the 21st. The return trip departs Khabarovsk on the 21st and arrives in Pyongyang on the 23rd.

Russian Railways added that ticket sales for both routes will begin shortly.

Yonhap