On March 18, the "Tianshan Snow Lotus · Silk Road New Journey—Xinjiang Railway 2026 Tourism Products and New Oriental Express Upgrade Release Conference" was held in Urumqi, organized by Xinjiang Railway Tourism Development Group Co., Ltd. This year, the Xinjiang railway department will comprehensively upgrade tourist trains to further enrich tourism offerings, continuously improve service quality, and inject new momentum into the deep integration of culture and tourism, supporting the high-quality economic development of Xinjiang.
According to the conference, to meet the multi-functional and multi-level demands of the tourism market with "high-quality + comfortable + affordable" options, starting from April this year, the Xinjiang railway department will introduce various models of New Oriental Express tourist trains, such as the Snow Lotus and Starry models. It will also launch the Tianshan tourist trains and affordable tourist trains, with plans to operate a total of 100 tourist trains. This includes 38 New Oriental Express tourist trains, 11 Tianshan tourist trains, and 49 affordable tourist trains, as stated by Lin Wen, Party Branch Secretary of the Tourism Business Department of Xinjiang Railway Tourism Development Group Co., Ltd.
It was learned that the Xinjiang railway department has upgraded the "New Oriental Express" brand trains this year. Two additional train sets have been added, and 32 new carriages have been developed, including 2 carriages with three compartments for six people, 10 carriages with four compartments for eight people, and 14 carriages with five compartments for ten people. The carriages now feature family connecting rooms and added "Silk Road Culture" display corners. Intangible cultural heritage inheritors will accompany the journeys to provide interactive experiences, allowing passengers to immerse themselves in Xinjiang's unique folk culture.
The brand trains have also introduced accompanying photography services to capture memorable travel moments for passengers. Medical staff and essential facilities with medicines will be available throughout the journey, and star-rated chefs will be on board to prepare meals, unlocking the flavors of Xinjiang. From the convenience of hardware facilities, comfortable physical experience, storage配套, barrier-free access, to comprehensive emergency call coverage, the travel experience for elderly passengers will be significantly enhanced, Lin Wen explained.
Furthermore, the Xinjiang railway department will break through geographical and seasonal limitations. In addition to the classic North and South Xinjiang loop routes, annual tourism products will further cover cross-provincial premium routes such as Southwest and Northeast China, as well as Hong Kong and Macao, with regular operations from March to October. At the same time, efforts will be made to meet the travel needs of winter snow enthusiasts by continuing to operate the overnight "China's Snow Capital · My Altay" snow-themed trains, providing comfortable travel experiences and meeting tourists' needs during different seasons.
Zhang Jie, Second-Level Inspector of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Department of Culture and Tourism, said, "For many years, we have adhered to the principle of 'transportation first, cultural tourism empowerment.' We have collaborated with the railway department to launch the 'Traveling Xinjiang by Train' brand, turning railway lines into cultural and tourism scenic routes that connect premium tourist attractions, characteristic towns, and cultural experiences. In 2026, we will fully promote the integrated development of railways and tourism. Leveraging the railway network, including the North Xinjiang Loop, South Xinjiang Premium Route, and Border Scenery Line, we will work with railway departments, scenic area enterprises, and cultural tourism institutions to deeply integrate natural landscapes, historical culture, and ethnic customs resources. We will optimize products such as 'Railway + Scenic Areas,' 'Railway + Intangible Cultural Heritage,' and 'Railway + Cultural Creativity,' offering more and better services to allow tourists to explore the beauty of Xinjiang by train, achieving fast access, slow travel, and deep exploration."