On September 14, 2026, on the platform of Xi'an Station, the singing of Xinjiang cultural and artistic volunteers accompanied by the sound of the whistle, the Y499 train slowly departed and headed west towards Almaty, Kazakhstan. The China Central Asia cultural tourism train has officially entered the stage of normalized operation from demonstration operation, becoming another cultural flow channel for Silk Road connectivity.

The cross-border travel service system continues to mature

The itinerary of this train is 15 days and 14 nights. It adopts a full 25T soft sleeper train bottom, with two 19K high-grade soft sleeper carriages added. It is equipped with multiple room types, and some private rooms are equipped with independent shower bathrooms. It focuses on the slow travel mode of customized boutique small groups. The operation team optimized the running time based on the feedback from the first passenger, significantly reducing the ineffective waiting time during the journey and leaving more space for sightseeing and cultural exploration along the way.

The train creates a "mobile Silk Road cultural reception room", with immersive activities such as intangible cultural heritage handicrafts, ethnic songs and dances, and Silk Road ethnic musical instrument experiences during the journey, making the long westward journey itself a part of the Silk Road cultural experience. In the first half of 2026, the number of cross-border tourists between China and the five Central Asian countries increased by over 68% year-on-year, and cross-border special trains are becoming a popular choice for tourists to travel between the two countries.

Differentiated routes expand the cultural depth of the Silk Road

This train has two routes with different positioning. Line A crosses the border to Almaty and adds a cultural visit point on Xianxinghai Street, connecting the long-standing cultural memories of China and Kazakhstan; The B-line focuses on the inner loop of Xinjiang, providing one-stop check-in services for core scenic spots in both the north and south of Xinjiang, such as Kanas and Sailimu Lake, to meet the travel preferences of different tourists.

The operator plans to launch the third train in late October, upgrading it to a Kazakhstan deep tour product and further expanding cross-border cultural visit points. By August 2026, the total number of China Europe regular trains and special tourism trains passing through Khorgos Port has exceeded 6500. The railway corridor has no longer only served as a freight transport function, but has also become a cultural exchange link connecting China and Central Asia.

The train wheels roll westward along the trajectory of the ancient Silk Road, a tourist route that connects the Guanzhong Plain, Hexi Corridor, and Central Asian hinterland, extending connectivity from freight channels to the daily travels of ordinary people.Editor/Cheng Liting