All aboard: luxury to Xinjiang

A luxury 17-day train tour to Xinjiang began operations yesterday, with 500 tourists aboard the first service when it left the Shanghai Railway Station.

Stops include Urumqi, Kashgar, and Turpan in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as well as historic cities such as Xining, Dunhuang and Zhangye.

The trip also includes the Xinjiang landmark of Tianchi Lake, and Qinghai Lake — China’s largest saltwater lake. The 6,000 yuan (US$888) tour covers more than 10,000 kilometers.

“Shanghai and Kashgar are both important cities in China’s One Belt, One Road initiative and the train will further connect the two cities,” said Xu Weiwan, director of the Shanghai Tourism Administration.