More than a silver lining, these trains for the elderly boost consumption with slow tours

On May 11, a few days after the weeklong May Day holiday, a train left Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, carrying 700 elderly passengers on a 17-day "slow tour" that would eventually cover many of the country's northeastern scenic sites.

In the past, senior travelers on passenger trains would often worry about their heavy luggage as they had to elbow their way through crowds just to find the seats.

This time, however, the 700 elderly tourists took a "hands-off" attitude as the coach attendants handled all their heavy luggage. Moreover, the crew members welcomed the senior passengers with carnation flowers, as the day of departure happened to be Mother's Day.

Such special treatment was part of Wuhan railway authorities' efforts to better serve elderly passengers on the city's first "silver train" bound for northeast China.

Local media reported that Wuhan would operate a total of 16 such trains in May alone. "Silver train" is a convenient term used to describe any passenger train designed to serve the needs of elderly travelers. "Silver" literally refers to old people's gray hair.

Boosting 'silver tourism'

Many "silver trains" typically operate during off-peak seasons. Also in the wake of the May Day holiday, the first "silver train" in Xiamen of southeast China's Fujian Province was put into use on May 8, carrying 200 senior passengers on a three-day tour of scenic spots in the eastern Anhui Province.

On both "silver trains" – the one from Wuhan and the other from Xiamen – medical staff are also on board to take care of the elders. Some crew members even have Red Cross first aid certificates.

The launch of these two "silver trains" reflects China's broader effort to boost travel services for elderly people.

In February, Xinhua news agency reported that nine government agencies and state-owned enterprises, including the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, had unveiled an action plan to expand and improve age-friendly rail tourism. To be specific, China plans to create a nationwide network of "silver trains" by 2027, with over 100 specially designed routes and 2,500 scheduled trips annually.

In 2024, China operated 1,860 "silver trains," which carried a total of about 1 million passengers, 80 percent of whom were elderly passengers. Young people, especially those who accompany their old parents or relatives, also travel on such trains.

The National Bureau of Statistics revealed early this year that the number of Chinese people aged 60 and above had surpassed 300 million for the first time by the end of 2024, accounting for 22 percent of the country's total population.

And according to a Xinhua report also released early this year, of all the travelers in China, 20 percent are elders who have a growing desire for tourism. That naturally creates a huge market demand for more senior-friendly "silver trains" which, in many cases, combine travel service with elderly care.

On May 9, People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, announced that it has set up a relending facility for service consumption and elderly care. The facility quota amounts to 500 billion yuan (US$69.35 billion).

Xinhua reported that this relending facility will be in effect until the end of 2027, and that the PBOC will encourage eligible financial institutions to beef up support for key areas in the service consumption sector, such as accommodation and catering, culture, sports and entertainment, and education, as well as the elderly-care industry.

In many ways, the operation of more "silver trains" falls within the scope of this latest round of financial support, as such trains have largely been upgraded from ordinary transportation tools into moving hotels and recreation centers. In some cases, a train carriage has been adapted into separate rooms similar to capsule hotels, fortified by sound-absorbing materials.

Putting more and more "silver trains" into service will provide a shot in the arm for "silver tourism" because these specially designed trains will further unleash the potential of senior travelers as consumers of both travel and wellness services.

Earlier this year, Xinhua quoted a recent blue paper on China's "silver economy" as saying that the sector was valued at 7 trillion yuan, accounting for about 6 percent of the country's GDP, with tourism being a key growth area. The state news agency further noted that the overall silver economy was expected reach 30 trillion yuan by 2035, representing 10 percent of China's GDP.

Compared with young tourists, elderly passengers may look a bit more "fragile" when it comes to intensive travel that requires a faster pace than slow tours do. In the past, China's passenger trains were not that age-friendly, but now things are different.

Given better "silver trains," age can become a relative advantage as retirees have more time for slow and immersive tours that go a long way toward boosting consumption along the routes.