Tourist trains gain popularity in China: newspaper

BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Tourist trains are becoming popular in China for convenience and speed, contributing to the recovery of the tourism market, China Daily has reported.

On the morning of April 6, the first of a series of tourist trains bound for scenic spots in the Yangtze River Delta and neighboring regions departed from Shanghai Hongqiao Station, starting a five-day tour.

"Taking high-speed tourist trains is a fast, safe and comfortable way to travel," the newspaper quoted a Shanghai resident surnamed Fang as saying on Saturday.

Travel agencies have launched various tourist train packages to cater to tourists' demand, said the newspaper.

The China Railway Travel Service Group has launched its first tourist train of the year, taking 428 passengers on an eight-day trip from Beijing to places including Jiangxi, Fujian and Anhui provinces, Yan Lei, deputy general manager of the tourist train division of the company, was quoted as saying.

Next, the company plans to launch train routes to more destinations including Sichuan, Tibet Autonomous Region, northeast China and Hong Kong, according to the newspaper.

Wu Liyun, an associate professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism at the Beijing International Studies University, suggested that travel agencies strengthen coordination between trains and scenic areas, shopping locations and entertainment venues so as to maximize the function of trains as a link, said the newspaper.