Harbin launches train service with free costume photoshoots for unforgettable journey

An eye-catching train in Harbin, known as the "ice city" in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, quickly captured the hearts of passengers on Thursday with its unique photoshoot service, which allows passengers to pose for photos in elaborate costumes in various settings.

The K5197 tourist train, operated by China Railway Harbin Group, departs from Harbin and takes passengers on a two-hour journey to the Yabuli Ski Resort, providing them with a novel and unforgettable experience during their journey.

The photoshoot service is available to passengers both on the waiting platform at the railway station and aboard the train, with different settings for photos arranged, featuring themes such as Harbin street views, ice and snow and folk customs.

"We offer photoshoot service on the train, including costume and makeup. Now we receive a growing number of passengers, and I do makeup for at least six or seven ones every day. They speak highly of my service," said Su Ruiqi, a makeup artist on the train.

The train provides amenities like dressing and changing areas, as well as a selection of free costumes. Passengers can make reservations via their mobile phones, and the photographers, composed of railway staff with a passion for photography, are on hand to help capture special moments.

"We used to wish we could arrive at the station quickly when we took the train before. But this time, we want to stay on the train a little longer. We have so much fun taking photos and chatting with others," said passenger Guo Yuqing.

"This trip is very enjoyable. I think it's really cost-effective. A train ticket worth just 49.50 yuan (about 6.7 U.S. dollars) can bring so much good emotional experience. Plus, frozen pears and persimmons are also free to enjoy!" said Wen Shan, another passenger.

Harbin's railway department plans to introduce more themed train services, including one featuring intangible cultural heritage, to attract more tourists and further promote local tourism.

"In our future work, we will continue to enhance the quality of our service and improve the photography activities throughout the train journey," said Zhang Yan, a train crew official with the China Railway Harbin Group.

Harbin launches train service with free costume photoshoots for unforgettable journey

Harbin launches train service with free costume photoshoots for unforgettable journey

Yantai Port in eastern China's Shandong Province has witnessed a small peak in the shipment of commercial vehicles in the start of the new year.

Since Jan 1, the automobile ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) terminal of the port has received at least four ro-ro ships and dispatched over 10,000 commercial vehicles.

"For the current large volume of commercial vehicle loading and unloading operations, we improved the efficiency of vehicle passage based on factors like the number of vessels and berthing time. With the joint efforts of all sides, a new high of 320 vehicles per hour in average operational efficiency has been established," said Gu Feng, deputy director of the production dispatching center at Yantai Port Ro-Ro Logistics Co. Ltd.

In 2024, the shipment volume of commercial vehicles from Yantai Port reached 737,000 units, among which the volume of international transshipment exceeded 330,000 units, up 22 percent year on year, statistics showed.

As a logistics base and a logistics hub for commercial vehicles in Shandong and North China, Yantai Port has already developed a number of ro-ro shipping routes that cover over 30 countries and regions in Europe, America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

East China port sees swelling auto exports in new year