Huang Chengyong, a singer from Mojiang Hani autonomous county, Pu'er city, delivered a song with his brother and was thrilled about the special stage where he got to closely interact with the passengers. Huang says their positive response, enthusiastically taking pictures, fueled the energy of his performance.

"Through the lyrics and melody, we hope that people gain a better understanding of Mojiang, and better appreciate the unique charm of its twin culture (marked by its high twin birth rate) and the local customs of the Hani people," Huang says.

As a representative of the Lao government working in Kunming, Paxaphacdy says he has long enjoyed the excitement of Spring Festival.

"Every year brings different experiences," he notes, adding that this year's train ride with the gala is a case in point.

"I have seen a lot of cultures (in the gala performance), especially those of our ethnic groups. We noticed that some languages are quite similar, and we also saw performances from the Miao and Dai ethnic groups, which resemble the cultural practices in some cities in Laos," he says. "We can see that the friendship between China and Laos has a long and deep history."

Deng Yingchuan contributed to this story.