(ECNS) -- Train Y490 carrying 800 tourists left Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Tuesday, starting an 18-day trip to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

This is the first tourism train to Xinjiang launched by China Railway Nanning Group in 2023.

With 15 air-conditioned sleeping carriages, the train will travel to renowned scenic spots of Xinjiang, including the Tianchi scenic area, Kanas scenic area, Hemu Village of Kanas in Altay, Nalati Grassland, and the ancient city of Kashgar, passing through Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

Traveling to Xinjiang by train can reduce the bus journey by at least 4,500 kilometers. It allows tourists to see various sceneries in northwest China, such as lakes, grasslands, Gobi desert, and snowy forests in an easier way.

Train attendants have prepared entertainment activities like chess, card, and karaoke for the trip. Meanwhile, the train has arranged professional medical staff, equipment and medicines in response to emergencies for the elderly.

"I’ve been hoping to travel in Xinjiang, but it is too far, and transferring among planes and buses are very complicated to our old people,” said an elderly tourist surnamed Zhu. “The travel route covers destinations in most parts of Xinjiang, so I have invited my friends to join me.”

China Railway Nanning Group has launched a series of cross-region train travel routes since this year, with Guizhou, Guangdong, and other provinces included in the destination list.