Heilongjiang rides rail tourism wave

"When I was making summer vacation plans for my child, I discovered the train," Ai said. "I was a little worried about the scorching summers in the south, and the promise of being able to escape the heat was immediately attractive."

Ai reserved two rooms on the train, with the entire 5-day trip costing her 40,000 yuan ($5,542). Despite the high price, Ai described it as "worth every penny".

"It was really pleasant to breathe in the fresh air in Yichun, which is known as the 'Forest Capital'," she said, adding that she had enjoyed morning temperatures of around 20 C.

"And being able to lie on comfortable beds on a slow train was a really unique experience," she said. "We were amazed by the magnificent views of the Lesser Hinggan Mountains."

Run by the Yichun Tourism Development Group and the Harbin Railway Culture and Tourism Group, the train's exterior is decorated with images of red pines, mountain stones and snowflakes, as well as the slogan "A home heading for the forest".

Carriages are exquisitely decorated and hotel-style butler service is available, and the train carries 90 passengers and 30 staff.

"The one-to-three ratio creates a better traveling experience for our passengers," said Wang Rongjiang, assistant to the chairman of Yichun Tourism Development Group. "There are 30 rooms in eight carriages, including two 21-square-meter suites, and 28 12-square-meter rooms."

Seven other carriages contain dining and entertainment areas.