URUMQI, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- In a world where speed and comfort often guide travel choices, a rail service in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region offers passengers a chance to experience a slower pace.

Train No. 7557 carries hundreds of passengers each day from Urumqi, the regional capital, to southern Xinjiang's Hotan Prefecture, linking 22 cities and counties in the less developed region.

While most bullet trains in China travel at speeds exceeding 250 kilometers per hour, the slow train in Xinjiang runs at an average speed of less than 80 kilometers per hour. The entire journey covers a distance of 1,960 kilometers and lasts over 32 hours.

Although the train moves at an unhurried pace, it means locals no longer have to worry about sand and dirt as they would when traveling by donkey.

Located in the southernmost part of Xinjiang, Hotan is a remote area where sandstorms and dust dominate, and poor transportation infrastructure has posed challenges to residents. The slow train service was launched in 2011 and soon gained popularity.

Fares range from 4 yuan (55 U.S. cents) to 361 yuan, with some sections being significantly cheaper than bus or car alternatives.

"Traveling from my hometown, Yengisar County, to Aksu City is a distance of over 500 kilometers and the train ticket only costs 57 yuan, which is nearly 100 yuan cheaper than taking a bus," said one Xinjiang resident, Mahira, adding that she does not need to change lines midway.

However, slowness is not the only distinctive feature of this train service. Unlike high-speed trains that restrict strong odors, Train No. 7557 provides passengers with a unique feast of smells, as vendors selling local specialties such as fruits, flowers, yogurt and kebabs move between carriages.

Some refer to the train service as a "mobile bazaar," with the word "bazaar" meaning "market" in Uygur.

Xinjiang benefits from abundant sunshine and significant diurnal temperature variations, which create favorable conditions for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Local produce such as apricots, grapes, melons, apples, fragrant pears, pomegranates, figs and peppers are renowned far and wide, and sell well on the train service.

These fresh specialties not only bring bright colors and tempting aromas to the train, but also create a pathway out of poverty for farmers living along the railway.

Since 2021, the service has reserved specific carriages and launched regular mobile bazaars to help residents sell their agricultural products. During the summer and autumn seasons, people living along the route bring homegrown fruits, vegetables and other local specialties to sell to passengers. Over 180 registered farming households have earned money from selling their products on the train.

Compared to trains in major cities, the atmosphere of Train No. 7557 is much busier, alive with the calls of vendors and the chimes of mobile payments. Some vendors even livestream their sales, turning the train into a platform for e-commerce.

Passengers can also purchase Xinjiang's unique musical instruments and handicrafts aboard the service, and spontaneous performances from vendors are occasionally heard.

According to Polatkhan, head of the train service crew, sales on the slower-paced service have boosted revenues for local farmers and fostered greater interaction between locals and visitors from outside Xinjiang.

Tourism in Xinjiang has flourished in recent years, and the train journey has transformed from a simple mode of transport into a must-experience attraction for visitors, who can enjoy the scenery along the route and savor local specialties before reaching their destinations.

As the Spring Festival travel rush reaches its peak, the service is operating at near-full capacity daily. Most passengers are migrant workers or students returning to their hometowns for family reunions and Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations after spending the year working or studying in big cities. They can be found sharing stories, laughter and musical performances in the carriages.

The atmosphere inside is festive, with staff dressed in ethnic attire dancing in the aisles. The windows are adorned with red calligraphy couplets and paper cuttings, and crew can sometimes be seen writing out the character "Fu" for passengers to convey their wishes for happiness, blessings and good fortune.

According to the Xinjiang railway department, the southern Xinjiang railway transported 326,200 passengers in the first nine days of 2025, an increase of over 14,000 from the same period last year.

For passengers, the slow train service is more than just a mode of transport. It is an economic lifeline for locals and a cultural hub for visitors, and a vital link connecting the hinterland to the outside world. Enditem

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