Moscow: A passenger train service linking the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and Moscow is set to resume its operation next week after years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as announced by Russia’s state-run railway operator.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, the railway service directly connecting the capitals of North Korea and Russia will commence on June 17 under an agreement with North Korea’s railway authorities. This follows the suspension of Russia’s passenger rail services to North Korea since February 2020 due to the pandemic.

The Moscow-Pyongyang train service will operate twice a month, covering a route that spans more than 10,000 kilometers, with each journey taking eight days. The Russian railway operator has described it as “the longest direct railway route in the world.” Trains bound for Moscow will depart from Pyongyang on the 3rd and 17th of each month, while those heading to Pyongyang will leave Moscow on the 12th and 26th. The service will include stops at Russian cities such as Khasan, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, and Kostroma.

In addition to this service, another train line connecting Pyongyang and Russia’s Khabarovsk, a city near Russia’s border with North Korea, will begin its once-per-month operation on June 19. This development comes amid increased cooperation between North Korea and Russia in various sectors, including military and economic collaboration, following the signing of a mutual defense treaty last June.

Late last year, passenger rail services resumed between North Korea’s Tumen River Station and Russia’s Khasan Station, marking a significant step in restarting transportation links between the two countries. Furthermore, in May, the two nations began constructing a road bridge across the Tumen River, a project slated for completion by the end of 2026, further indicating strengthening bilateral ties.