Old business route

The inside of a hard sleeper carriage on the train to Moscow. Wang Hairuo / Provided to China Daily

During the period of the 1980s and early 1990s, the train experienced its "golden age" as a result of China's opening- up. Chinese merchants went to seek opportunities in an exotic land. Passenger boom reached its peak after the fall of the former Soviet Union, when there was a big demand for consumer goods.

"It was always fully packed, every time!" Gao recalled. He was a conductor on the train from 1985 to early 1992. All 280 seats were occupied by Chinese "gold-rushers", he said - businessmen looking for quick ways to make money who transported gloves, leather jackets and shoes to Russia. It was so popular that every time the train stopped at a station along the way, local residents rushed to the windows and vied for the goods.

"And they were usually all sold off before they arrived in Moscow," he said.

A series of crimes, including robbery and rape, took place on the train in the early 1990s, reflecting the darker side of the chaotic cross-border trade operating on the route at that time.

The train witnessed a gradual decline in passengers after that peak period, especially when new regulations on cross-border trade were enforced. It lost its appeal to business travelers because it was so much more time-consuming than flying, according to Cao Lili, who is in charge of the ticket center at Beijing-based CITS Tourist Agency.

"Most passengers now book tickets for a short-distance ride, such as from Beijing to Ulan Bator," she said, adding that fewer and fewer passengers have enough patience to take the train from beginning to end.

The occupancy of each ride is no more than 50 percent during the winter or even less, according to Gao. Train journeys of that length have lost their charm for many passengers.

Compared with the extensive flight network linking China to the world, there remain only a few train routes. Apart from Beijing, other cities that run international train services, such as Nanning and Harbin, are mostly in border provinces.

But traveling by international train has great appeal to young backpackers like Wang. There are numerous posts and heated discussions about the train between Beijing and Moscow on online forums. That's also where he studied the feasibility of his trip and then finally made his decision.

From the Gobi Dessert in Mongolia to the ocean of birch trees in Russia, the dramatic changes in scenery out the window kept the young man captivated. Most of the time, he did not need to say a word. He said that gazing contentedly at the views without being disturbed by text messages was a special experience that could not be found easily elsewhere.

"This is not what air travel can convey," he said.

Wang also came across several like-minded train friends on board. An old Malaysian woman took the train all by herself. Having traveled to many countries, she said she never makes plans but just heads for the next destination, following her interest. The only luggage she had was a small backpack. The gypsy lifestyle impressed Wang a great deal.

According to Gao, in addition to the short-distance riders, energetic backpackers and silver-haired travelers now make up the two largest groups of long-distance passengers. Though the majority of passengers in the past were from the West, the number of Chinese is now growing.

Operators of the new train hope they can raise its top speed to 160 kilometers per hour in the next two years, according to Liu.

Gao said the length of a one-way trip could be shortened to three days in future. He is looking forward to that moment because as the train becomes more convenient and efficient, it will possibly bring back the "golden times" again. Three days for a one-way trip will sound much more appealing to people, who are now so time-conscious.

"That's going to be a huge difference," he said.

qinzhongwei@chinadaily.com.cn