The Reawakening of Rail Ties: Moscow to Pyongyang

Russia and North Korea are set to resume their direct passenger train service for the first time since it was halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Russian Railways. This landmark journey is scheduled to commence on June 17, involving a route from Moscow to Pyongyang, covering a staggering distance of over 10,000 km, making it the longest direct rail journey in the world.

Two days after the Moscow-Pyongyang journey restarts, another service connecting Pyongyang to Khabarovsk will also resume. The train operations will be handled by Korean State Railway. In an interesting logistical approach, a North Korean railcar will be attached to the existing Moscow-Vladivostok service, then reconnected to another train.

This reestablishment of train connections serves as a testimony to the growing cooperation between Russia and North Korea, exemplified further by military collaborations after their leaders signed a strategic partnership treaty. North Korea's recent support for Russia by sending troops and weapons further underlines the strengthening ties.

(With inputs from agencies.)