A new-type cost-effective tourist train service introduced by China's railway system has become a favorable choice for tourists, particularly elderly people on long-distance travel involving multiple regions in China.
On Monday, the first such cost-effective tourist train in southwest China departed from Sichuan's provincial capital city of Chengdu, in what appeared to be a new step taken by China's railway system to contribute to enriching the tourism market, promoting service consumption, and catering to the growing demand for travel options.
The train set out from the Anjing Railway Station in Chengdu on a trip to popular destinations in northwest China's remote Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region thousands of kilometers away, carrying 890 passengers, who will visit scenic spots like Hemu Village and the Tianchi Scenic Area during their 16-day trip in Xinjiang as the train will pass through places including Yining City and Kuche County.
On this tourist train, a direct result of China's action plan unveiled early this year to expand and improve senior-friendly tourism train services, 725 tourists were aged 60 or older, accounting for over 83 percent of its total capacity.
Developed by the China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd. to diversify its travel offerings, the tourist train service has undergone 46 detailed upgrades across 16 categories, including modifying bunk ladders, guardrails, and handrails, along with a dedicated medical room. The newly designed entertainment carriage also allows passengers to showcase their talents, enhancing the travel experience for senior tourists.
Beyond the comprehensive onboard facilities, the tourist train service has stood out also with its competitive prices.
"I chose a hard sleeper berth, with the full trip costing just over 5,000 yuan (about 696.4 U.S. dollars). It is a very cost-effective price. The train is well-equipped, making our journey comfortable and worry-free," said Jiang Weigang, a passenger.
"The budget-friendly tourist train offers the same hard and soft sleeper compartments as the premium-class tourist trains, but it carries more passengers per trip, so the cost of travel is much lower, nearly half those of premium-class services, making it highly popular -- tickets for all four scheduled trips have sold out," said Xiong Xinyue, a staff member of the Sichuan Chengdu Railway International Business Travel Group Co., Ltd.
In addition to the Xinjiang route, the China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd. has also planned to introduce more tourist train service products, including the tour crossing around five northwest China's provincial-level regions and the trip in northeast China with loop-shaped railway lines.
China on Feb 11 launched an action plan as its latest bid to create more inclusive and enjoyable travel experiences for the elderly.
The initiative, jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and eight other central government agencies and state-owned enterprises, aims to enrich the tourism market, promote service consumption, and cater to the growing demand for elderly-friendly travel options.
Measures will be taken to upgrade the train service to be more age-friendly, green and comfortable, which will also be supported by China's large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in program, and to develop themed travel routes and products tailored to seniors.
China's newly introduced budget-friendly tourist train caters to elderly travelers with enhanced amenities
