Welcome aboard China's Slow Trains

 
by John Maryon

People's China has invested heavily to develop the world's largest high speed railway network, the total length of which now exceeds 50,000 km.  An impressive transport system, with speeds of 350 km/hour and which is still being expanded rapidly and with even faster trains being introduced under the current five year plan.  Rail travel is the safe green option for billions of passengers and forms the key element of a logistics system second to none. It has enabled the vast country to open up. Travel between regions has become convenient and affordable. Migrant workers can now see their families on a more regular basis. Tourism has received a massive boost. Quicker and more easy access for goods and services has improved the lives of the people. The railway system is operated as a service for everyone without the high profits that would apply in the western world. There also exists another 110,000 km of conventional rail network serving both rural and urban areas that continues to play an essential role in connecting modern China. 
China's famous slow trains serve and connect remote villages and towns and play a vital role in the rejuvenation of the rural economy.  Slow trains form a lifeline in the more remote regions and are subsidised where necessary, unlike the market driven doctrine of most western nations. The Western media has been critical of China's large scale public welfare projects which they consider to be financially unviable. Let us look at some of these railways and consider the impact they are having on people's lives in desert regions, among snow-covered plateaus, deep valleys and remote mountain passes. 
One such is the Hotan Yulong Train which connects Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with Hotan in the far south.  The full 2,000 km journey, which includes 66 stops taken at intervals of approximately 30 minutes, maintains an average speed of 50 km/hour. The full cost would be £18.15 but the one stop minimum cost ticket is only the equivalent of 44 pence. The train transports school children and intrepid travellers but also many local farmers seeking to sell their produce at the next big town. These could include fruit growers from the south of the region who had harvested fresh juicy peaches from their orchards and stacked the crates in a suitable location on the train ready for the marketplace. Depending upon the season there would also be walnuts, cherries, dates and pomegranates.  The train is the commuter service for farmers and herders so expect to meet goats, pigs, chickens and ducks on some services. 
An unusual event takes place about five times a year on the Hotan route called the Mobile Bazaar or Meshrep – meaning a gathering in the Uygur language.  It was the brainchild of the conductor and introduced with the support of local Communist Party branches. Stalls were set up on the train as it sped through the Gobi Desert to sell local produce, souvenirs and handicrafts. It was a challenge at first for some shy farmers to stand in front of a large group of people but with a little help from the train crew they were ensured of a successful day. The train also has access to wi-fi and this soon became a new first for farmers and producers as they realised its advantages and entered the modern world of e-commerce.  Bazaars are now held on a regular basis on the train. They are accompanied by local music, singing and dancing creating a festive atmosphere 
Importantly these trains enable passengers to meet people from different valleys and regions and promote a harmonious meeting of cultures and traditions. Coy glances between youngsters may signal the beginning of a romance for life. The whole train experience may also be regarded as an antidote to the schemes of those who dream of creating ethnic tension in China's remote regions. Former strangers now greet each other like old friends.The experience may be regarded as a window for cross-regional exchange. 
The Slow Trains are fast revitalising China's remote regions. Since taking their products to new customers the income of many local people has doubled and lifted them out of rural poverty.  Another train, one of 81 slow trains in China, runs through the south-west of China's beautiful mountainous Sichuan province, a home of the giant panda. The buzz of human conversation is often  accompanied by the cheeps, grunts and quacks of other companions on the way to the market. The trains have helped people shake off poverty and embrace fuller lives while serving the people with stable ticket prices, unchanged for 26 years, and providing  reliable services. 
A discussion of China's railways would not be complete without a mention of the builders whose courage and perseverance made them possible. When the Qinghia Xizang line, that is the highest in the world and crosses the Tibetan plateau, was built over 20 years ago it represented a major challenge. Facing the harsh elements in remote regions, low temperatures and a lack of oxygen at high altitudes were all overcome to link Lhasa with the rest of People's China. Today the skills and high precision required for building the many impressive structures still require great effort. 
High speed rail represents progress. The new routes are impressive and include the world's longest and highest structures. New high speed freight trains are also being introduced and tests are underway of maglev trains that may travel at up to 1000km/hour.  But the slow trains of rural China retain a special place in peoples’ hearts while continuing to form an important part of their lives. The nostalgic appeal of the rural trains acts as an antidote to the urban stress of large cities by offering a more natural slower paced experience. As festivals approach the slow trains become festooned with decorations as people enjoy the ride. Long may these unique and wonderful trains survive.