Tourists in Beijing can now board improved sightseeing trains to appreciate picturesque spring blossoms in the city's suburbs, which operate on historical routes with thoughtful services provided.
Flowers blossom along the S2 Line train running through Juyongguan, a section of the Great Wall in northern Beijing's suburbs. This year, the trains have been upgraded and painted with motifs of floral seas on their exterior.
The train operates on the tracks of Jingzhang Railway, China's first independently-built railway, which opened in 1909, linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, a major city in nearby Hebei Province.
"It is my first time boarding a sightseeing train. The landscape along the route is impressive. No matter where I go, I try to discover and collect beauty through my eyes," said Xuan Jing, a tourist.
The sightseeing trains also improved their services for a growing number of passengers, including offering audio guides on the scenery along the route and providing reserve medications.
"We are expecting to handle an estimated 96,000 passenger trips during this year's flower-viewing season, 5,000 more than the same period last year," said Hua Hongsheng, a Beijing North Railway Station deputy officer.
As the temperature gets warmer, local authorities established a specialized task force to step up forest fire monitoring along the suburban railway route to ensure the safety of the increasing number of tourists.
"Nankou Town established a safety agency for the floral walkway, with a security force of about 100 personnel being deployed every day," said Wang Shui, deputy mayor of the town.
Beijing improves sightseeing trains to better serve flower-viewing tourists
