Onward to "poetry and the distant lands," let's set forth!

Recently, the first dedicated base station for tourist trains in our country, Anjing Station, was put into use in Chengdu. The China State Railway Group held a site meeting on the integration of railway and tourism here, where tourist trains such as the "Silk Road Dream Enjoyment Train," "Panda Special Train Comfort Train," "Panda Special Train Shifang Train," "Yichun Train," and "Forest Capital Train" were unveiled collectively.

In recent years, the railway tourism market has continued to heat up, giving rise to high-end tourist trains, which signify the release of high-quality tourism demand and represent a new initiative in the integration of "railway + tourism" in China's cultural and tourism market.

"Silk Road Dream" train doors and exterior. Photo by reporter Xie Jiao, Xinhua News Agency.

Since the beginning of this year, tourist trains such as "Silk Road Dream Enjoyment", "Panda Special Train Shifang", "Yichun", and "Starlight Lancang-Mekong" have been successively launched. Numerous tourists have boarded these trains, traversing deserts, traveling along the Silk Road, passing through "Qin Moon and Han Pass", and wandering along the scenic line of Chinese civilization.

These tourist trains feature unique exterior designs, some incorporating elements from Dunhuang murals, others themed around adorable pandas; they offer comfortable lounges, oversized panoramic windows, ultra-quiet design cabins, smart home systems, and regional creative gourmet delights... The tourist trains are like "star-rated hotels" on rails, meeting the needs of domestic and international tourists for high-quality travel experiences.

"Panda Special Train Chengdu" pastries. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Kun.

It is a walking cultural exchange business card.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company and Fosun Group have jointly launched the "Silk Road Dream Enjoyment Train" dedicated to spreading Silk Road culture. The route starts from Xining, passing through Haiyan, Golmud, Dachaidan, and finally arriving in Dunhuang. The entire journey lasts five days and four nights, offering views of deserts, Gobi, salt lakes, and other landscapes along the way.

Interior of the "Silk Road Dream" train. Photo by reporter Xie Jiao, Xinhua News Agency.

The "Starlight Lancang-Mekong" train running between Kunming, China and Vientiane, Laos, has become a friendly ambassador for "railway + culture + tourism" between the two countries.

The "Yichun" train traveling across the Northeast has signed a charter agreement with domestic and foreign tourism service companies. A Singaporean couple specifically chose the panoramic photography car to shoot their wedding photos, expressing their intention to "permanently cherish the beautiful moments of Great China."

It is the reassuring "silver-haired travel" companion.

CRRC Chengdu Bureau has intensified the adaptation of its conventional trains for the elderly, and launched the tourism brand "Panda Special Train".

This year, on the "Panda Special Train Shifang" silver-haired tourism train from Chengdu to Xinjiang, reporters observed that the compartments had added railings, handrails, lowered threshold heights, and included a medical room, emergency call devices, and more. The washrooms not only featured hot water foot-washing nozzles but also specially added anti-slip mats.

The average age of tourists on this train exceeds [age]. "Retired, with ample time, I want to see the beautiful landscapes of our motherland. The refurbished tourist train is quite friendly to the elderly," commented an elderly tourist.

Panda Special Train Chengdu: Cabins and Corridors. Photo by Liu Kun, Xinhua News Agency.

The "Panda Special Train Shifang" service staff are multilingual, have obtained Red Cross first aid certificates before taking up their posts, and are accompanied by two professional medical personnel on the train; the "Yichun" train is equipped with a traditional Chinese medicine consultation room and a wellness center... These arrangements make "silver-haired tourism" more spontaneous and also meet the needs of accompanying family members.

CRRC Chengdu Bureau continuously introduces elderly-friendly line designs, which have radiated to multiple provinces and cities across the country. Since the beginning of this year, it has cumulatively served over 100 million elderly tourists for travel, accounting for .% of the total number of tourists.

It is the ever-flowing "new space" of boundless creativity—

It can become a mobile learning classroom. Guangzhou Railway Bureau of China Railway has developed study tour special trains such as Xiangganbian, Shenzhen to Shaoshan, and Shenzhen to Jinggangshan, enriching teaching scenarios around the needs of student study tours, turning the saying "Read thousands of books, travel thousands of miles" into reality.

It is an open-air study on the move, where one can lower their head to read and raise it to gaze at the mountains; it is a unique tea room and coffee bar, where the mouth and teeth savor the aroma and the eyes are drawn into the painting... The enormous carrying capacity and the scenic views along the way make the new spaces opened up by "train+" full of infinite possibilities.

The tourist train has transcended the concept of traditional transportation, integrating new attributes such as tourism, lifestyle, consumption, and social interaction, giving rise to new scenarios and business models. "We aim to allow domestic and international tourists to experience the unique charm of Chinese culture during their travels, to receive wisdom in the fusion of past and present, and to be filled with creativity," said Wen Xiaodong, Vice President of Fosun International.

The development prospects of tourist trains are promising.

China's railway operating mileage has exceeded 10,000 kilometers, with high-speed railway operating mileage surpassing 37,000 kilometers, ranking first in the world. At the same time, China has formed the world's largest domestic tourism market. It is highly promising to transform railways from a single transportation function to support the development of the tourism economy.

The relevant departments of China Railway Corporation stated that this year, the corporation has intensified the development of special tourist trains. Since its operation, the "Silk Road Dream Enjoyment" train has seen enthusiastic ticket purchases from overseas tourists; the "Panda Special Train Comfort" has cumulatively operated for a certain number of trips, achieving transportation revenue in the millions; the "Forest Capital" train plans to operate for a certain number of trips this winter, with all seats sold out...

On the endless railway lines, carrying the aspirations of people for a better life, the vibrant energy of a "flowing China" is palpable. Come, hop on a tourist train, and together we will appreciate the beautiful landscapes and savor the charm of Chinese culture!

Planning: Chen Fang

Journalist: Xie Jiao

新华社国内部出品 Statement: Xinhua Finance is the national financial information platform constructed by Xinhua News Agency. Under no circumstances does the information released by this platform constitute investment advice.

WeChat Editor: Cao Yu

Executive Producer: Peng Chunyan