Language access

Izak Memet joined the railway maintenance team at Qiemo station in December 2022. He said even people like his parents, who aren't fluent in standard Chinese, are confident enough to take the train because a Uygur-language service is available for ticket inquiries and on the train.

"My parents, who didn't like to travel before, have now become the train's loyal passengers. They often hop on the train to Korla city and Urumqi on a whim to meet their friends. It's hard to locate them these days," the 24-year-old shrugged and said.

As Abdulret got off the train at Lop station, he said he hoped more people would visit the county, which has much to offer including traditional Uygur cuisine and cultural heritage sites. "Getting to Lop has become easier than ever. I am sure people will have a good time there."

More travelers have already made trips to the five counties after they were connected by China's railway network.

"It's obvious that more people, including tourists, came to Qiemo in the summer. And many of them came by train," Izak said at Qiemo station.

In the past, people could only reach Qiemo by road or air, and services were often suspended for days at a time because of sandstorms, Izak said. "In contrast, train services are very stable. There have been a few strong sandstorms since I got here, but no train service was canceled."

Desert attractions

Izak added that he's surprised to see how popular the Hotan-Ruoqiang railway is with tourists. "Many of them just come to see what it feels like to travel through the Taklimakan on a moving train, after many people shared their experiences on social media," he said.

A tourist from Guangdong province surnamed Zhang said he made local friends on the train while traveling from Ruoqiang to Yutian. "I may have skipped Yutian if the train service wasn't available there. In fact, my plan is to travel around southern Xinjiang by rail because the Taklimakan rail loop has been completed."

Zhang said he didn't expect the train to be full, but it gave him opportunities to connect with the locals during his eight-hour journey.

"They are so friendly. And I've learned to speak some basic Uygur language from them. I believe I can order lamb skewers in fluent Uygur from now on," he said.

According to China Railway Urumqi Group, one year after the Hotan-Ruoqiang railway was put into service, more than 360,900 passengers have traveled on it.

Deng Yujue, deputy manager of Hotan station, said the station has become more crowded, especially during traditional Uygur festivals.

"It's a good thing because it's proved that the new railway has been greatly welcomed by the local people and tourists," Deng said. "As the majority of passengers onboard the trains on the Hotan-Ruoqiang railway are local people from the Uygur ethnic group, we've stepped up the Uygur-language service to provide better guidance," he added.