Xi'an: A tourist train departed from northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Thursday, embarking on a journey to Almaty, Kazakhstan, in a move aimed at enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations. The train, carrying 234 passengers, left Xi'an around noon and is expected to reach Almaty by Saturday. The return trip is slated to begin on June 5 and conclude in Xi'an on June 7, with each leg of the journey taking approximately 57 hours.

According to Namibia Press Agency, this year has been designated as the China tourism year in Kazakhstan. Upon their arrival in Almaty, passengers will be greeted with engaging performances and local culinary offerings. A four-day event focusing on cultural and people-to-people exchanges will be hosted in Almaty, featuring a wide range of activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience demonstrations of intangible cultural heritage skills, view exhibitions of cultural relics, and learn about traditional Chinese medicine. Additionally, the event will include a youth football friendly match, a symposium on sports exchanges, and a gathering for women entrepreneurs.

The introduction of this special train service is a significant result of the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit held in Xi'an in 2023. The second summit is planned to occur later this year in Kazakhstan. China's General Administration of Customs reports that China-Central Asia trade reached 94.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, reflecting a 5.4 billion dollar increase from the previous year. Kazakhstan emerged as the leading Central Asian country in trade value with China, making up over 46 percent of the total, amounting to 43.8 billion dollars.