China tourist train to DPRK resumes service

SHENYANG - China's tourist train to neighboring Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) resumed service on Monday after the DPRK removed Ebola quarantine measures against foreign visitors.

A train with 72 tourists on board two rail cars left Dandong, a land port in northeast China's Liaoning province, for a four-day tour to DPRK's capital Pyongyang, at 10 am Monday.

The trip takes about five and a half hours.

The DPRK lifted the 21-day Ebola quarantine on visitors who are not from West Africa last Tuesday.

On Oct 24, the DPRK temporarily banned the entry of foreign tourists due to fears of the Ebola virus, prompting travel agencies to cancel scheduled tours to the country.

On Oct 29, the DPRK announced more strict measures against the possible spread of Ebola and required all foreign visitors to be quarantined for 21 days.

The DPRK became a destination for Chinese group tours on April 12, 2010 and China launched the tourist railway service to its neighbor about two weeks later.