The first panoramic mountain tourist train in the world entered service on Wednesday in Lijiang, a popular tourist town in the province of Yunnan, in southwest China.
The train, developed independently by Chinese rail companies, rolls at a maximum speed of 70 km/h and can transport the passengers to the snowy Mount Yulong in about 35 minutes.
The 20.7 km tourist route connects the old town of Lijiang, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at Mont Yulong, a very popular tourist site. Along the way, passengers can admire snowy peaks, crystal clear waters and spectacular canyons.
“To improve the experience of passengers, the side windows of the train have changing colors, are 1.9 meters long and are adjustable electronically. They not only offer better panoramic view, but also protect against high altitude ultraviolet rays “Said Yang Jian, president of Lijiang Snow Mountain Rail Transit Co., Ltd., who supervised the construction of the train.
Zhong Ya, a university student specializing in rail transport, who was one of the passengers on the first train, was delighted with the nonchalance of the train.
“This train trip is different,” said the student. “The other trains generally rush to their destination, but this tourist train travels slowly, which allows passengers to appreciate the landscape along the journey. The train has very large windows, and the external views are spectacular.”
During the initial operating period, the first post costs 50 yuan (around 7 dollars) and the round-trip ticket is offered at 80 yuan.
The company estimates that the train will carry around 45,500 passengers per day, which will help stimulate local tourism and economic growth.
