Slow train connects rural residents to vital services in N China's Inner Mongolia

While high-speed trains race across China's rail network, train 4181 still averages under 40 kilometers per hour.

The train runs from Hailar district in Hulun Buir to Mangui town in Genhe, a county-level city under Hulun Buir, in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Photo shows passengers aboard train 4181 in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Shang Cheng)

After a decade on the job, Li Yong, the train conductor, knows the passengers of this slow train by heart — a train that carries the stories of numerous people.

Train 4181, run by Qiqihar's passenger transport division of China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd., has served the forest areas in the Greater Khingan Mountains for 46 years. Here, winter grips the land for nearly half the year. When heavy snow cuts off mountain roads, this train becomes the only way for residents along the route to reach hospitals, attend school, and stay connected with family and friends.

The train travels 523 kilometers, with tickets priced at just over 50 yuan ($7.27). After undergoing electrification, the operating cost of the train far exceeds the ticket price. Yet the train has never stopped running and continues to operate reliably.

"My father's health has declined in recent years," said Lu Li from Genhe. "Medical care is limited back home, so I often take him into the city for treatment. That's how I got to know Li."

Train conductor Li Yong provides services for passengers on train 4181. (Photo/Xu Shuai)

"My father is 93 and can't manage a regular seat. We don't know how to book tickets online, so before every trip, we ask Li in a WeChat group to secure a lower hard berth for him. He's been a tremendous help," said Lu.

The WeChat group Lu mentioned was set up by Li and his colleagues. It now includes several hundred passengers like Lu, who turn to him for help with travel plans, ticket bookings, and even buying necessities.

China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd. still operates nine pairs of slow trains running through remote mountainous and border regions, providing vital transportation for everyday travelers.

Train 4181 winds its way deep into the Greater Khingan Mountains in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xu Shuai)