This photo shows the restaurant of a panda-themed tourist train at Anjing Railway Station in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Tourist trains have become a new trend in the integration of culture and tourism in China, transforming ordinary journeys into memorable experiences through upgraded facilities, attentive service, and special activities.

This year, the country has operated over 600 tourist trains, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 20 percent.

A collective birthday party aboard a tourist train themed on the Yellow River and launched by China Railway Zhengzhou Group Co., Ltd., the first of its kind in central China's Henan Province, was held for passengers, leaving 67-year-old passenger Dong Weiping feeling deeply moved.

On April 20, the train departed from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan, along its inaugural cross-provincial route, embarking on a journey to southwest China's Yunnan and Guizhou provinces.

The train's exterior focuses on elements of the Yellow River, including wavelike patterns inspired by ancient painted pottery, said Ma Tachuan, manager of the train. Passengers can enjoy an immersive experience of intangible cultural heritages like Henan opera performances and traditional dough figurine making. The train also emphasizes comfort and accessibility for elderly travelers.

"We've transformed carriages into hotel-style rooms, each with distinctive features," Ma said. Each compartment features two parallel beds with both standard and USB charging ports at the headboard, plus a dry-wet-separation bathroom.

The train features enlarged windows for enhanced scenic viewing, Ma said. It includes lowered door thresholds, non-slip carpets, fluorescent handrails, and an SOS emergency call system. It also has emergency supplies and an emergency doctor to handle unexpected situations.

"The train is spacious and comfortable, like a hotel. We can also learn about intangible cultural heritages and make friends," Dong said.

"Responding to evolving passenger preferences, we've shifted our product design from sightseeing tourism toward leisure travel," said Han Zhiwei, deputy general manager of Henan Zhongyuan Railway Tourism Group Co., Ltd. The train emphasizes a slow-paced itinerary while integrating diverse regional cultural characteristics.

The train currently operates three tourist routes. During the just-concluded Dragon Boat Festival and International Children's Day this year, the train launched a popular three-day family tour package. A seven-day tour route themed on north China's Shanxi Province is set to be launched for the tourist train.

In south China's Hainan Province, a tourist train features intelligent amenities alongside fashionable interiors. Self-service coffee and tea machines, beer dispensers, and artificial intelligence photo-taking systems have proven popular with passengers, while wireless charging systems and smart interactive systems providing travel guides have earned praise.

This train is one of those running on the tourist railway from Sanya city to Ledong Li Autonomous County in Hainan, connecting several well-known attractions. It boasts designs drawing inspiration from local tropical elements and Sanya landmarks.

The train combines visual elements for contemporary appeal while maximizing space utilization to promote tourism resources. Partnering with the Sanya Mass Art Museum, the train features Li brocade decorations and invites artisans to demonstrate the traditional Li textile techniques of spinning, dyeing, weaving, and embroidering, creating a "mobile intangible cultural heritage museum."

The train also offers innovative activities including wedding photography, educational tours, and coordinated ticket discounts with tourist attractions, catering to diverse passenger needs.

Since its launch, the Sanya-Ledong tourist railway has handled 414,000 passenger trips. "We will continue developing new scenarios and exploring innovative approaches to promote the tourism industry and transform themed trains into mobile cultural venues where passengers enjoy heartwarming experiences and comfortable journeys," said Meng Jiwei, general manager of Sanya Railway Investment and Construction Co., Ltd.

At the Kunming Railway Station in southwest China's Yunnan Province, a train embodying the province's unique floral culture and tourism appeal departed for Beijing.

This represents China's first flower-themed train, jointly developed by China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. and Yunnan's cultural and tourism department. The train features fresh flower displays every day throughout the journey.

The carriages of the train are decorated with seven kinds of typical flowers in Yunnan, such as camellias and Gesang flowers, with each carriage having a different theme.

Passengers can enjoy rich cultural experiences aboard the train. "They can sample various delicacies made from Yunnan flowers, including flower pastries and flower cakes. The train also features floral arrangement spaces where passengers can create their own flower arrangements," explained Zhang Jun, train conductor with Kunming passenger transport department of China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd.

The company plans to gradually extend the flower-viewing service to other regular and high-speed trains while developing more tourism routes based on people's demands.