Considerate conductor makes train travel a breeze

For more than a decade, Lan Qiushuang has been a familiar face on the China-Vietnam international passenger train, known for her fluent communication in Chinese, Vietnamese and English, and her dedication to ensuring a smooth cross-border journey for travelers.

As chief attendant of train T8701, which runs between Nanning in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Hanoi in Vietnam, Lan provides guidance, translation and assistance throughout the overnight route. The train departs Nanning at 6:05 pm and arrives at Gia Lam Station in Hanoi around 6:30 am the next day. Along the way, it stops at major border points including Chongzuo, Pingxiang, Dong Dang and Bac Giang.

Lan's calm multilingual announcements guide passengers through each step of the trip — from departure reminders to customs clearance — making her voice one of comfort and confidence for both Chinese and non-Chinese travelers.

Lan joined China Railway Nanning Group in 2008, shortly before the launch of the international service. A graduate in Vietnamese language from a university in Hanoi, she was recruited for her strong multilingual skills and assigned to the route when it began operating on Jan 1, 2009. Over the years, she has served passengers from more than 110 countries, rising through the ranks from broadcaster and interpreter to train conductor.

To better serve international passengers, Lan created her own trilingual glossary of hundreds of railway and service-related terms in Chinese, Vietnamese and English. "Many technical words weren't in my textbooks," she said. "I had to learn them one by one to make sure every passenger could understand me."

When the cross-border passenger service resumed on May 25 this year after a suspension of more than five years, Lan was chosen to lead the first train. "Even while the service was on hold, I kept practicing my Vietnamese through short videos and magazines," she said. "I wanted to be fully prepared for the day the train would run again."

Her trilingual ability has proved essential in emergencies. In June, when heavy rain in northern Vietnam delayed the Hanoi-Nanning train for more than two hours, Lan kept passengers informed in both Vietnamese and English, coordinated border clearance smoothly, and ensured that everyone remained calm and safe.

Passengers say Lan's professionalism has made the journey more welcoming. "It's convenient and comfortable," said a tourist surnamed Nong from Guangxi. "You can sleep through the night and arrive in another country."

Since the train's resumption, the overnight soft-sleeper train has carried over 8,100 passengers, including travelers from more than 30 countries such as Vietnam, France and Russia. The route has also boosted regional trade. This year as of late October, 29,000 containers of goods, including motorcycle and generator parts, have been exported from Guangxi to Vietnam, up 143 percent year-on-year, while tropical fruits such as durian and mangosteen have entered China by rail through Pingxiang Port.

For a businessman surnamed Zhao, who trades in coffee and dried fruits, the train is a symbol of opportunity. "I brought my products to Nanning for the China-ASEAN Expo," he said. "This train connects markets in China and Vietnam, and makes business easier."

Lan said she is proud to be part of this connection. "The China-Vietnam train is not just transportation," she said. "It's a bridge of friendship that brings people closer together."

Yang Ting contributed to this story.