A journey from Qingcheng to Chuncheng

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2014-07-04

A new passenger train that links Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, with Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, came into use on July 1st 2014.

K691/4/1, the train's number, is under the jurisdiction of Hohhot’s Railway Administration; and thanks to the train, Hohhot and Kunming, – the so called "Qingcheng" (Qingcheng means a city in bluish green, which is what Hohhot means in Mongolia) and "Chuncheng" (a city always in spring) – have for the first time been connected directly with each other, bringing convenience to people’s transportation.

It will also boost the politics, economy and culture in the railway’s surrounding areas and help Inner Mongolia and Yunnan to make full use of their tourism resources.

Hohhot is well-known as a tourism hub that enjoys the scenery of the grassland, desert, and the Yellow River as well as the metropolitan areas such as Beijing and Tianjin. Kunming, on the other hand, is one of China’s 10 most popular tourism cities.

Using this train, tourists can experience the mild climate in Kunming without the sweltering heat of summer or the severe cold of winter as well as the rich history and splendid culture in Hohhot. Moreover, it will be a driving force for the two destinations’ social and economic development.

The K691/4/1 Train passes Jibao (Jining to Baotou), Baoxi (Baotou to Xian), Xikang (Xian to Ankang), Xiangyu (Xiangfan to Chongqing), Chengyu (Chengdu to Chongqing), Neiliu (Neijiang to Liu Panshui), and Hukun (Shanghai to Kunming) with a total length of 3,053 km. It goes through six provinces and autonomous region including Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Shanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces. K691 departs at 9:46 am from Hohhot and arrives in Kunming station at 10.35 am on the third day after departure. Its return journey starts from Kunming at 5.52 pm and arrives at its destination, Hohhot, at 2.00 pm on the third day after departure.

The train has set up special seats for disabled people in two of its carriages. It also has an office in the 14th carriage, providing passengers with sewing kits, paper and pens in case of their emergency needs. What's more, the train even has cotton balls for passengers to reduce the discomfort caused by air pressure, as the train has to pass through 1200 caves during its journey.

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