The ever-expanding high-speed railway (HSR) network in China is helping foreigners travel faster between the country's major cities and the rural regions.
Official data show foreign tourists made over 5.72 million visits to China from January to July, surging 403 percent year-on-year, thanks to facilitated entry measures and improved services to enhance convenience, like payment options, for inbound visits.
Many of the foreign tourists have chosen high-speed rail service traveling across their destinations in the country, saying the rail system is time-saving and convenient.
"It's one of the best and convenient ways, you know, take the fast train just for hours and you can get Shanghai," said Jack, a tourist from Netherlands who was to board a high-speed train in Beijing South Railway Station.
While major cities remain popular, exploring small towns via high-speed rail is becoming a popular option.
China has expanded its operational railway tracks to 160,000 km as of September, with the high-speed rail exceeding 46,000 km.
Linking major city clusters, the extensive network has also reached even remote villages in the rural regions.
In the southwestern province of Sichuan, a new section of HSR put into operation in late August has reduced the travel time from the provincial capital Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou National Park to less than two hours. Jiuzhaigou is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its breathtaking natural scenery. Previously, this journey took seven hours by road.
"Today we are going to Jiuzhaigou. And as understanded, if you were to drive it will take several more hours than it is now. So, it's definitely makes it much easier to fulfill the goal of returning to Chengdu within a day," said an American tourist.
Expanding high-speed railway network improves foreigners' travel experience in China
