Mobile Markets on the "Slow Train"
Source: InKunming | 2023-09-05 | Editor:Amy
Photo taken on August 24 shows that a passenger is arranging wild mushrooms carried on the "slow train". (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)
In the era of high-speed trains that travel at "lightning" speed, there are still a number of affordable and stop-by-stop public service "slow train" running in Yunnan. Train 5652/1 from Kunming to Hongguo is one of them.
Photo taken on August 24 shows the train 5652/1, a public service "slow train" from Kunming to Hongguo. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/ Xinhua)
Photo taken on August 24 shows that the train staff are assisting farmers in carrying baskets filled with wild mushrooms into the carriage. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)
For a long time, villagers who grow vegetables and sell fruits along the way have been using this "slow train" to transport agricultural products from the mountains to the town markets for sale.
During the current season of "rainfall leading to a new crop of mushrooms," wild mushrooms have become "regular passengers" in the train carriages. This seasonally limited "fresh product" is highly favored by the people of Yunnan, and there is good profit to be made from a single trip. Sometimes, business transactions take place right in the small carriage without waiting for the next station.
Photo taken on August 24 shows the fresh wild mushrooms placed inside the carriage. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)
Photo taken on August 24 shows that the train conductor is engaging in a lively conversation with a familiar mushroom picker. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)
Operated by the China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd., Train 5652/1, a public service "slow train" from Kunming to Hongguo, covers a one-way distance of 261 kilometers with stops at 6 passenger stations and 10 passenger platforms. The journey from the origin takes 5 hours and 53 minutes, while the return journey takes 5 hours and 59 minutes. The full fare for the entire journey is 36.5 yuan, with the lowest fare between adjacent stations as low as 4 yuan.
Photo taken on August 24 shows that villagers who grow vegetables and sell fruits along the way also choose to take the "slow train" for selling their produce. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)
Photo taken on August 24 shows that fresh fruits and vegetables are "regular passengers" on the "slow train", and the small carriage resembles a mobile market, vibrant and lively. (Photo by Yang Zixuan/Xinhua)
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(Editors: Christine, Amy)
