Special tourist trains gaining popularity

A total of 605 million passenger trips were made by train across China from July 1, the start of the summer transport season, to Aug 12, marking a 6.1 percent year-on-year increase, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday, quoting data from the nation's railway operator.

During this summer vacation, there has been a strong demand for student travel, tourism, and visiting relatives, with trains for tourists particularly popular.

The Harbin branch of the China State Railway Group has organized 37 special trains for tourist, including 10 high-quality special tourist trains that have served 19,000 passengers and generated revenue of 17.05 million yuan ($2.38 million). Railway passenger flows to summer resort cities like Harbin, Yichun, Mohe, and Mudanjiang have significantly increased compared to the same period last year.

The Xi'an branch of the nation's railway operator has launched the Y413, a special train for senior tourists to visit scenic spots in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Meanwhile, the Wuhan branch has operated special trains to some tourism destinations in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, three provinces in Northeast China, and Fujian province, with a 168-percent year-on-year increase in passenger volume. Moreover, the branch of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has introduced 66 trains, adopting a "train+bus one-stop arrival" approach, which has been well-received by travelers for saving time and reducing costs.