Tourist trains drive summer travel across China

Passengers are pictured aboard a sightseeing tourist train bound for Chengde City in north China's Hebei Province, at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

China ran more than 500 tourist trains this summer, according to data from China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway).

Tourist trains offer itineraries tailored to tour groups' needs, with flexible routes, multi-destination stops and sightseeing opportunities during transit, said Zhu Wenzhong, director of the passenger transport department at China Railway.

Among these specialized services, silver-haired tourism trains cater specifically to elderly passengers, meeting their unique travel needs and preferences.

A tourist train with elderly-friendly features left Harbin Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Aug. 22, helping to support the province's summer tourism.

Li Dong, deputy general manager of Harbin Railway Culture and Tourism Group, said China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd. has actively promoted railway and tourism integration since the start of the summer season.

In response to market demand, the company has introduced innovative tourism products, running tourist trains for senior citizens to destinations including Sichuan Province, Chongqing Municipality, Hong Kong, Macao and Arxan in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Located in the heart of the Greater Khingan Mountains, Arxan national forest park boasts pristine forests, volcanic landscapes, hot springs and alpine wetlands, making it an attractive ecological tourism spot.

Tourist trains have significantly boosted visitor numbers to the Arxan scenic area, said Liu Yu, deputy director of the marketing department at Arxan national forest park.

Tourist trains connect multiple southern Chinese cities directly to Arxan, overcoming limited conventional transport and tapping into distant markets such as the Yangtze River Delta. The service alleviates transportation bottlenecks and draws large numbers of visitors from southern China.

The Arxan scenic area has welcomed about 23,000 tourist visits on 85 tourist trains since the beginning of this year, generating more than 25 million yuan ($3.5 million) in local tourism spending, including accommodation, dining and entertainment.

Railway departments nationwide met social demand this summer by running distinctive tourist trains specializing in family travel, educational tours, red tourism and wellness tourism, giving passengers varied vacation options.

The 2025 Jiangsu Football City League, known as the "Su Super League" or "Su Chao," which kicked off on May 10, has seen its influence extend far beyond the football pitch. Railway departments have used the Yangtze River Delta's advanced high-speed rail network and frequent trains to closely align with match schedules, working with local sports and tourism departments to launch train services exclusively for football fans.

As of Aug. 17, Yangtze River Delta railway departments had operated 31 dedicated trains for Su Chao fans, with total passenger travels reaching nearly 30,000.

Tourist trains effectively connect and integrate tourism resources like dining, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment along routes, said Kong Dejun, director of the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services at the Ministry of Commerce. This enriches tourism offerings and boosts consumer spending in destinations served by these services.