Rail Travel to Tourist Attractions Becomes More Popular

There was an increase in rail tourism this past Spring Festival holiday, invigorating the attractions along the railway routes.

Jixi, a hilly county in Anhui province along the Hangzhou-Huangshan high-speed rail line which just opened in December, registered a remarkable increase in its tourist numbers during the seven-day break.

Hong Mei, deputy director with the county's Longchuan scenic spot — a State-level 5A-rated attraction — said that the attraction saw a monthly increase of 30 percent in its tourist numbers after the Hangzhou-Huangshan high-speed rail line opened, and up by 20 percent in the Spring Festival holiday as compared to the previous year.

"We have travelers mainly coming from neighboring areas like Zhejiang province and Shanghai municipality," she said. "They used to drive to visit the attraction, but now the railway offers an easier way for them."

Traveling by bullet train has become one of the popular transportation choices for Chinese travelers, especially during some public holidays, according to some travel agencies.

Lvmama, an online travel service provider headquartered in Shanghai, said that reservations of railway related tour packages rose by 18 percent during the Spring Festival holiday, in which attractions such as Huangshan Mountain were among the 10 hottest destinations for travelers.

"The railway line is like a belt connecting cities and counties," said Tuniu, another online tour agency. "Prices for railway tickets are rather stable as compared to flight tickets. Also, it's much safer and punctual, which guarantees better travel experiences for travelers."