Chinese stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.1 percent to 4,129.10 points.
The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.63 percent lower at 14,374.87 points.
The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 0.96 percent to close at 3,317.52 points.
The ChiNext Index, together with the Shenzhen Component Index and other indices, reflects the performance of stocks listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Chinese shares close lower Thursday
With the May Day holiday coinciding with spring breaks in various regions, China's railway tourism market is heating up earlier than usual, as passenger-friendly measures are rolled out to boost cultural and tourism consumption.
"My family booked this trip for me. I'm just happy to travel with my husband," said a passenger.
In time for the May Day holiday, a new batch of branded tourist trains will be launched to cater to diverse passenger needs. China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) is also rolling out discount policies on tourist special trains as part of broader efforts to revitalize cultural tourism spending.
Meanwhile, accommodation along tourist train routes has begun offering coupon-based discounts.
According to data, the number of tourist trains operating nationwide in the first quarter increased by 440 compared to the same period last year. Moving forward, the integration of railway and tourism will continue to deepen.
"We plan to operate over 2,500 tourist trains this year and develop 50 premium railway tourist routes, so as to continuously energize the railway tourism market and foster new growth drivers in railway-backed consumer services," said Zhang Tao, deputy marketing director of the Passenger Transport Center of China Railway.
China rolls out passenger-friendly railway services ahead of May Day travel rush
