New high-speed train is the farthest north

China's new northernmost high-speed railway opened officially at 10:26 am on Monday as train D7288 departed from Yichun West Station in Heilongjiang province.

The 318-kilometer line connecting Harbin and Yichun will cut the duration of the trip to 1 hour and 46 minutes.

To create a vibrant travel atmosphere, the railway department organized interactive activities, including singing, dancing and printmaking before the train's departure.

"The opening of the new line integrates Yichun and regions along the route into the Harbin metropolitan area's weekend, short-distance and family travel radius," said Wang Xiaowei, deputy director of the city's bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism. "It also connects Yichun to the national high-speed rail network via the Harbin hub, further expanding the tourist market in Northeast China and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region."

Wang Changyu, an employee at a State-owned electrical power company, boarded the first train. He lives in Harbin and works at the company's Yinchun branch.

"Previously, travel between the two cities was either by slow train or driving a car and often took four or more hours each way," he said. "Now, with the fastest trip taking about an hour and a half, I can enjoy more time with my family on weekends."

The new line, which has nine stops, passes through cities of Suihua and Tieli. The design of Yichun West Station incorporates local elements such as the Lesser Khingan Mountains, the Songhua River and red pine trees, allowing travelers to experience the distinctive landscape of the province.

Yichun is sometimes called the "forest capital of China or the hometown of red pine". Its forest coverage rate exceeds 80 percent, offering outstanding ecological resources for tourism throughout the seasons. It is a well-known domestic destination for ecological health tourism.

Xu Li, general manager of a homestay company, has personally experienced the development benefits brought by the opening of the new high-speed railway.

"We have 12 guest rooms and offer sleeping accommodations, dining and activities such as fruit picking, farming, and fishing," she said. "Ever since our homestay opened in 2019, we have attracted visitors from all over the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shandong, and Guangdong provinces. However, because of the long distance, our occupancy rates used to vary significantly by season, limiting the number of visitors from other provinces.

"We believe that with the official opening of the Harbin-Yichun high-speed rail, the number of long-distance tourists will continue to increase," she said. "Currently, a lot of short-distance and weekend tourists are flocking to Yichun, and our homestay bookings are continuously rising."