The main section of Luang Prabang railway bridge across the Mekong River is now in place, with the final concrete section completed on July 28, seven months ahead of schedule.

The Luang Prabang Mekong River Super Major Bridge is one of two bridges across the Mekong, on the route of the Laos China Railway (LCRC).

The 1,459-metre bridge lies in the north of the Luang Prabang Ancient Town, a World Heritage site in Laos, some 220 kilometres north of the capital Vientiane.

According to the Laos-China Railway (LCRC), which is in charge of the construction and the operation of the railway, the Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River bridge is one of the most challenging to construct among the over 160 bridges of the railway, involving the most complicated bridge-building techniques.

According to the China Railway No. 8 Engineering Group (CREC-8), which is in charge of the construction of the two cross-Mekong River bridges of the railway, construction of the Ban Ladhan Mekong River Super Major Bridge is also advancing smoothly and will be completed by the end of 2019 as scheduled.

As the first overseas route connecting China's railway system using Chinese technology and equipment, the China-Laos Railway is a major project in infrastructure inter-connectivity between China and neighboring countries, and a major project in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held in December 2015, and the construction of the route officially started a year later. The railway is expected to be operational in December 2021.

The 414-kilometre China-Laos railway links the Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and Vientiane.