Railway sets record for elderly travelers on 'silver-hair trains'

By Tan Maolin. Deng Yuqin also contributed to this article.

After the Spring Festival travel rush ended on February 22, Yichang East Railway Station welcomed a record-breaking 17 groups, totaling 5,500 elderly passengers on silver-hair trains.
 

"Yichang's rich tourism resources and stunning landscapes make it an ideal destination for a spontaneous trip with my wife," said Shao Jianping, a traveler from Jiangsu Province. He arrived at Yichang East Railway Station via the D2255 Silver-hair Train on February 26, which carried more than 300 elderly passengers.

Their journey includes a five-day cruise through the Three Gorges, with stops at historical sites like the Three Gorges Dam and Qu Yuan's hometown, as well as natural wonders such as the Qing River Gallery and the Tribe of the Three Gorges. Tang Can, from Hubei Chen's International Travel Agency noted that combining train travel with cruises offers elderly passengers a comfortable and convenient experience.

Fang Yanyan, team leader at Yichang East Railway Station's "Beautiful Three Gorges" Group Passenger Service Center, said, "The majority of these elderly travelers are from Jiangsu, Shanghai, Beijing, and Wuhan.” Based on ticket sales, the station anticipates a peak in silver-hair train arrivals in early March, with four groups of nearly 1,000 elderly travelers arriving weekly while 14 groups will return via high-speed rail.

To ensure safe and seamless travel for elderly passengers, Yichang East Railway Station has partnered with travel agencies to streamline itineraries, minimizing the need for transfers. The station has also introduced dedicated transfer passages, green entry channels for group travelers, and set up "Silver-hair Assistants" to provide safety support and luggage assistance at key points such as platforms and elevators.