Railway services give rural residents in Daliang Mountains key to prosperity

China Railway, the country's top railway operator, has implemented the requirements to effectively combine the consolidation of poverty alleviation outcomes and rural revitalization put forward by the central government by continuously improving the quality of operations of "slow trains" in rural areas.

(Photo/China Railway)

Over the past several decades, the "slow train" 5633/5634, which runs through the Daliang Mountains in southwest China's Sichuan Province, has kept its ticket prices at between 2 yuan and 26.50 yuan ($3.84). Stopping at 26 stations, the slow train covers the distance in about 11 hours.

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)

A catalogue on items prohibited on trains released on July 1, 2022 specifies that "slow trains" can allow passengers to bring a small number of poultry and livestock, as well as farming tools aboard.

(Photo/China Railway)

To satisfy the needs of local residents, the China Railway Chengdu Bureau Group Co., Ltd. added a carriage to the "slow train" for the transport of larger luggage such as poultry and livestock raised by rural residents.

The "slow train" has offered convenience to passengers of the Yi ethnic group, who mainly live in the Daliang Mountains, to transport their products to the market and reduce transportation costs. Some passengers can even trade their goods on the train.

(Photo/China Railway)

The "slow train" has become an important part of the production activities and lives of the local people. It has witnessed changes to the lives of the local Yi people.

On Dec. 26, 2022, the new 915-km Chengdu-Kunming railway went into operation, bringing high-speed trains to the hinterland of the Daliang Mountains.

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)

The operation of the railway has further improved the railway network in southwest China, made it more convenient for residents living in areas along the route to travel and transport their goods, and helped the local areas develop their resources. That has played an important role in supporting areas inhabited by ethnic groups in accelerating development, consolidating the outcomes of rural revitalization, and promoting high-level opening up.

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)

China Railway Chengdu Bureau Group Co., Ltd. staffs trains running along the route with attendants of the Yi ethnic group to better serve the passengers. There are more than 130 train staff of the Yi ethnic group working on trains running along the new Chengdu-Kunming railway.

Elements of the Yi ethnic group can also be found in passenger services that trains provide. These include name boards and signboards written in the Yi language at railway stations, and train attendants speak Mandarin, English and the Yi language.

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)

(Photo/China Railway)