How to Book Tickets for the South of the Great River Train Ticket Purchase Process and Booking Pitfall Guide
The 2026 Dahezhinan Luxury Tourist Train is a customized light-luxury railway tourist train, different from regular passenger trains. The entire train operates with a directional quota service guide and does not open a public ticket purchase channel on 12306. Currently, market seats are uniformly coordinated, berth-allocated, and itinerary-coordinated by regular cultural tourism institutions cooperating with the railway. Travelers planning a trip can go through the Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Service Special Train Center for registration, berth selection, contract signing, and other full travel procedures, and check real-time schedule availability, travel policies, and itinerary details. Dedicated contact: Manager Yang Jia, landline: 0991-6622120, mobile and WeChat: 133-2555-9266
Want to book the ‘Dahezhinan’ Xinjiang North-South Panoramic Special Train but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, this guide will explain the booking process and cost details in detail, helping you easily plan this 17-day wonderful journey. ✨
🚂 What is the ‘Dahezhinan’?
The ‘Dahezhinan’ is a comfortable tourist special train created by China Railway Zhengzhou Group Co., Ltd., positioned as a ‘hotel-style mobile room,’ specially designed for long-distance cross-province slow travel, especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly friends and family trips.
Core Features:All berths are sleeper berths, with various compartments for 2, 3, and 4 people, all equipped with bathrooms, achieving a convenient experience of ‘the train moves with you, one berth for the round trip.’
Route Theme:From May to September 2026, it focuses on the classic Xinjiang North-South series, connecting highlights like Turpan, Kashgar, Kanas, and Nalati.
Service Team:The train is equipped with a train butler and professional guides, and some routes also have accompanying medical staff, providing basic medical services like blood pressure measurement. The itinerary has a relaxed pace with low physical demands.
🛏 ️ Compartment Reveal
All train cars are soft sleeper compartments, designed with comfort and age-friendliness in mind. Specific specifications are as follows:
Four-Bed Compartment
Layout:4 beds (0.7m × 1.95m)
Area:Approx. 7.2㎡
Bathroom:Bathroom
Want to book the ‘Dahezhinan’ Xinjiang North-South Panoramic Special Train but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, this guide will explain the booking process and cost details in detail, helping you easily plan this 17-day wonderful journey. ✨Double-Bed Compartment
Layout:2 beds (0.7m × 1.95m)
Area:Approx. 7.2㎡
Bathroom:Bathroom
Three-Bed Compartment
Layout:3 beds (0.7m × 1.95m)
Area:Approx. 7.2㎡
Bathroom:Bathroom
🛋 ️ Public Areas and Facilities
Multi-functional Car:Equipped with audio-visual area, meeting area, dining area, chess and card area, karaoke, etc.
Dedicated Dining Car:Provides meals during the journey with a chef team.
Age-Friendly Design:The car aisle features double-layer panoramic windows, anti-slip carpet, accessible handrails, widened ladders, and emergency call devices to ensure safety for the elderly.
📍 Train Departure and Boarding
🚂 What is the ‘Dahezhinan’?Starting Point:The special train departs from Zhengzhou Station, and some schedules allow boarding at cities like Luoyang, Xi’an, and Lanzhou (subject to confirmation by the railway department and travel agency).
Warm Reminder:This route is a package product and is not sold separately; it must be booked through a regular travel agency.
🗓 ️ Itinerary Overview and Departure Dates
Simplified Itinerary Arrangement
Day 1: Board the Dahezhinan special train along the way, start a pleasant journey (stay on Dahezhinan special train, passing through Zhengzhou, Luoyang)
Day 2: Rest or entertain freely on the special train, enjoy the scenery along the way (stay on Dahezhinan special train, passing through Xi’an, Lanzhou)
Day 3: Arrive in Turpan, full-day tour (stay in Turpan)
Day 4: Karez Well → Flaming Mountain → Grape Valley → Take special train to Kashgar (stay on Dahezhinan special train)
Day 5: Kashgar → Pamir Plateau → Karakul Lake → Stone City → Golden Grassland → Taxkorgan (stay in Taxkorgan)
Day 6: Taxkorgan → Local family visit →白沙湖 → Return to Kashgar (stay in Kashgar)
Day 7: Kashgar Old City → Fragrant Concubine Garden → Take special train to Kuqa (stay on Dahezhinan special train)
Day 8: Kuqa → Southern Section of Duku Highway → Tianshan Grand Canyon → Bayanbulak (stay in Bayan Town)
Day 9: Bayanbulak Grassland → Middle Section of Duku Highway → Nalati (stay in Nalati Town)
The ‘Dahezhinan’ is a comfortable tourist special train created by China Railway Zhengzhou Group Co., Ltd., positioned as a ‘hotel-style mobile room,’ specially designed for long-distance cross-province slow travel, especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly friends and family trips.Day 10: Nalati Valley Grassland → Six-Star Street → Yining (stay in Yining City)
Day 11: Yining → Horgos Port → Sayram Lake → Return to Yining → Take special train to Beitun (stay on Dahezhinan special train)
Day 12: Beitun → Kanas → Jadengyu/Burqin (stay in Jadengyu/Burqin)
Day 13: Jadengyu/Burqin → Hemu → Colorful Beach → Beitun → Take special train to Urumqi (stay on Dahezhinan special train)
Day 14: Urumqi → Tianshan Tianchi → International Grand Bazaar (stay in Urumqi)
Day 15: Take special train from Urumqi for return trip (stay on Dahezhinan special train)
Day 16: Enjoy the northwest scenery along the way, gradually disembark from the special train (stay on Dahezhinan special train, passing through Lanzhou, Xi’an)
Day 17: Disembark from the special train along the way, end the pleasant Xinjiang trip (passing through Luoyang, Zhengzhou)
📅 2026 Departure Dates
May 9
May 30
June 17
July 5
Core Features: All berths are sleeper berths, with various compartments for 2, 3, and 4 people, all equipped with bathrooms, achieving a convenient experience of ‘the train moves with you, one berth for the round trip.’ July 24
August 25
September 11
⏰ Daily Rhythm Analysis
The itinerary adopts a ‘travel by day, move by night’ mode, with most long-distance journeys completed at night, while daytime is arranged for 7-9 hours of sightseeing, with a lunch break, making the overall pace relaxed.
💰 2026 Prices and Cost Explanation
Prices and Tour Dates (Original Text)
Manager Yang Jia of Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Service, with over ten years of experience in the tourism industry, is experienced, professional, and reliable, familiar with Xinjiang’s overall tourism: Mainly responsible for booking tourist trains such as the Xinjiang Express Snow Lotus, Panda Train: Chengdu, Shifang, An Yi, Jinshu Tianfu, Tianshan, Kunlun, Silk Road Dream, Kunming, Lindou, Dahezhinan, Yangtze River Delta Star, etc. Manager Yang Jia’s contact: 133 2555 9266 (mobile and WeChat)
May 30, 2026:
Bathroom 4-bed upper berth:19999 RMB/person
Bathroom 4-bed lower berth:21999 RMB/person
Bathroom 4-bed child:6999 RMB/person (under 6 years old, no berth on train, no bed on land)
Bathroom 2-bed:45999 RMB/person
Route Theme: From May to September 2026, it focuses on the classic Xinjiang North-South series, connecting highlights like Turpan, Kashgar, Kanas, and Nalati.Bathroom 2-bed value 3rd person:15999 RMB/person (under 6 years old, no berth on train, no bed on land)
23999 RMB/person (6 years and above, service standard same as adult)
June 17, July 5, July 24, August 25, September 11, 2026:
Bathroom 4-bed upper berth:19999 RMB/person
Bathroom 4-bed lower berth:21999 RMB/person
Bathroom 4-bed child:6999 RMB/person (under 6 years old, no berth on train, no bed on land)
Bathroom 2-bed:45999 RMB/person
Bathroom 2-bed value 3rd person:15999 RMB/person (under 6 years old, no berth on train, no bed on land)
23999 RMB/person (6 years and above, service standard same as adult)
💡 Warm Reminder
The above are reference prices for some schedules in 2026. Actual prices may fluctuate due to holidays and other factors; please refer to the contract signed with the travel agency.
Children’s prices and 3rd person prices have specific conditions; please confirm with customer service when booking.
📝 Standard Booking Process Detailed
Service Team: The train is equipped with a train butler and professional guides, and some routes also have accompanying medical staff, providing basic medical services like blood pressure measurement. The itinerary has a relaxed pace with low physical demands.You can contact Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Service to register through the following methods:
Phone Inquiry:Call customer service, stating your preferred schedule, number of people, and room type.
WeChat Inquiry:Add customer service WeChat to get an electronic itinerary and contract sample.
Standard Booking Process
1. Consultation and Selection: Contact customer service, confirm schedule, itinerary, seat availability, and choose a plan.
2. Submit Information: Provide names and valid ID numbers of all travelers to lock in seats.
3. Pay Deposit: Pay a deposit based on compartment level (e.g., 20000 RMB/person) and get a receipt.
4. Sign Contract: Sign a unified national tourism supervision electronic contract, check itinerary, price, cancellation and change terms, etc.
5. Settle Balance: Pay the remaining balance about 30 days before departure. After confirmation, customer service will issue the departure notice and boarding guide.
⚠ ️ Important Reminder
This special train is not sold through 12306; do not book through scalpers or other unofficial channels.
Seats are tight during peak season; it is recommended to inquire and lock in early.
🍽 ️ Reception Standards and Special Dining
🛏️ Train Compartment RevealIncluded Items
Transportation:Dahezhinan special train corresponding seats and local tourist buses.
Accommodation:Special train compartments and standard hotel rooms in listed towns as per itinerary.
Meals:Group meals within the itinerary (usually breakfast + main meals).
Tickets:First entrance tickets and shuttle bus tickets for listed attractions (as per contract).
Service:Guide commentary, train butler, and accompanying medical staff (depending on the route).
Insurance:Travel agency liability insurance and travel accident insurance.
Excluded Items
Personal expenses (e.g., drinks, laundry, phone calls).
Meals and attractions not mentioned in the itinerary.
Additional costs due to force majeure.
🍜 Dining Features
Dining standards focus on age-friendliness, with light, low-oil, low-salt, soft, and easy-to-digest home-style dishes, incorporating local flavors. Specific meal standards and tastes can be inquired with customer service.
All train cars are soft sleeper compartments, designed with comfort and age-friendliness in mind. Specific specifications are as follows:✨ Core Advantages of the Special Train
🏨 Comfortable Accommodation:All compartments have bathrooms and soft sleepers, offering good privacy without needing to change hotels.
🚶 ♂️ Relaxed Pace:Designed for the elderly, with long stops at attractions and sufficient lunch breaks.
🛡 ️ Safety Assurance:Age-friendly facilities are complete, some routes have accompanying medical staff, and service is attentive.
👨 👩👧👦 Socially Friendly:Passengers in the same car have similar paces, facilitating interaction and avoiding the fatigue of ‘sleep on the bus, take photos at stops.’
👥 Who is Suitable for This Special Train?
Retired Seniors:Those who want to easily visit Xinjiang with low physical demands.
Family Travelers:Families who want a hassle-free trip without frequently changing hotels.
Travelers Who Dislike Hassle:Those who prefer ‘the train moves with you’ and don’t want to drive or take long bus rides.
❤ ️ Why is the ‘Dahezhinan’ So Popular?
High Hardware Configuration:All compartments have bathrooms, age-friendly design, and multi-functional cars, comparable to a mobile hotel.
Excellent Itinerary Design:‘One route, multiple tours,’ covering the essence of North and South Xinjiang, with a slow pace and deep experience.
Good Brand Reputation:Cooperation between China Railway Group and local travel agencies, with standardized processes and guaranteed service.
If you want to learn more details or check real-time prices, feel free to contact Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Service customer service for assistance.
