‘Little slow trains’ in SW China’s Sichuan turned into school buses for Yi children

Two low-speed green trains running between Puxiong town, Yuexi county, Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture and Panzhihua city in southwest China’s Sichuan province are being used as “school buses” for local children and a highly convenient mode of transport for local people of the Yi ethnic group.

With their routes covering 353 kilometers and including 26 stops, the green trains - Train No. 5633 and Train No. 5634 - offer trips costing between 2 yuan (about $30 cents) and 25.5 yuan. It takes the trains nine to 10 hours to complete a one-way trip.

The green trains, which are affectionately known as “little slow trains” by the local Yi people, have become busy since late April as schools began resuming classes. Local children often take the trains back home on Friday and to school on Sunday.

Although the trains are slow and children have to spend long hours on the journey, they enjoy the experience and often use the time to do their homework, review texts, and discuss things they have learned with their friends.

In order to ensure the children’s safety, every green train has Yi crew members and a safety team to keep these young passengers safe and promote safety knowledge among them.

Yi steward Emu Rigu and stewardess Wazha Ajimo were once young passengers on the “little slow trains” and now serve as “escorts” on these “school buses”. They hope to see more and more children realize their dreams in the outside world.