Heilongjiang rides rail tourism wave

Fantastic views aboard province's new sightseeing train to its 'Forest Capital'

As Train Y523 rolled into Jinshantun Railway Station in Yichun, Heilongjiang province on the morning of July 12, Ai Xiaonan and 62 other excited tourists disembarked to continue their five-day summer holiday.

The 15-carriage train, named "Lindu" or "Forest Capital", had left Harbin Railway Station the previous evening bound for the city of Yichun, offering guests an extraordinary experience aboard one of the best-quality trains dedicated to sightseeing in the country.

Unlike regular trains, dedicated sightseeing trains such as Lindu cater exclusively to tourists and are fitted with compartments for dining and entertainment to add to their appeal.

For 40-year-old Ai, a Harbin resident, seeing the advert with images of emerald forests and cool weather at the height of summer convinced her to embark on the train adventure with her five family members.

"When I was making summer vacation plans for my child, I discovered the train," Ai said. "I was a little worried about the scorching summers in the south, and the promise of being able to escape the heat was immediately attractive."

Ai reserved two rooms on the train, with the entire 5-day trip costing her 40,000 yuan ($5,542). Despite the high price, Ai described it as "worth every penny".

"It was really pleasant to breathe in the fresh air in Yichun, which is known as the 'Forest Capital'," she said, adding that she had enjoyed morning temperatures of around 20 C.

"And being able to lie on comfortable beds on a slow train was a really unique experience," she said. "We were amazed by the magnificent views of the Lesser Hinggan Mountains."

Run by the Yichun Tourism Development Group and the Harbin Railway Culture and Tourism Group, the train's exterior is decorated with images of red pines, mountain stones and snowflakes, as well as the slogan "A home heading for the forest".

Carriages are exquisitely decorated and hotel-style butler service is available, and the train carries 90 passengers and 30 staff.

"The one-to-three ratio creates a better traveling experience for our passengers," said Wang Rongjiang, assistant to the chairman of Yichun Tourism Development Group. "There are 30 rooms in eight carriages, including two 21-square-meter suites, and 28 12-square-meter rooms."

Seven other carriages contain dining and entertainment areas.

Passengers can choose between performances of traditional Chinese music or Jazz in two of the carriages, while another has an interactive VR experience area, which is popular with younger passengers.

"Around 60 percent of the passengers are over 50, so there is a chief physician from the traditional Chinese medicine department at the Heilongjiang Geriatrics Hospital onboard to offer consultation and treatment," Wang said.

"We have developed another two routes in the central and western parts of Heilongjiang to attract more tourists," he continued. "We also hope the train will attract more investors to Yichun and generate new momentum for tourism in the Lesser Hinggan Mountains region."

According to the China Railway Harbin Group, 110 long-distance dedicated sightseeing trains have traveled to Heilongjiang from all over the country since the beginning of this year, and 76 short- and medium-distance dedicated sightseeing trains have been introduced in the province itself. Between them, the trains have welcomed about 100,000 tourists over the course of the year, a record for Heilongjiang.

zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn