On April 15th at 7:44 AM, the CRH3C-3008 bullet train, adorned with the “Bashu Splendor, Sichuan-Chongqing Shining Together” livery, slowly departed from Chongqing West Station, marking the official launch of the 2026 “Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor” themed train service.
The train route passes through Chengdu East Station and terminates at Mount Emei Station. Using the railway as a link, it connects the magnificent landscapes and millennia-old cultural heritage of the Bashu region, aiming to inject new cultural and tourism momentum into the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.
The “Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor” themed train is a joint initiative by cultural and tourism authorities, designed to use the major railway artery as a carrier. Through unified cultural enrichment and content integration, it organically links high-quality tourism resources, precious historical and cultural heritage, and modern development achievements across the Sichuan-Chongqing region.
The train itself becomes a “mobile cultural exhibition gallery” shuttling between Chengdu and Chongqing. During the journey, the onboard multimedia system and special audio guides simultaneously initiate a “journey through time and space,” offering passengers a comprehensive showcase of the World Heritage charm and modern urban consumption vitality of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. From the Dazu Rock Carvings to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei, from Three Kingdoms culture to contemporary trends, passengers can experience the essence of Bashu culture and feel its profound heritage and contemporary spirit while on the move.
According to the plan, the themed train service is scheduled to operate no fewer than 300 trips throughout 2026, extensively connecting the Chengdu-Chongqing “twin hubs” and key areas along the route.
A series of public benefit measures have also been launched. Passengers can conveniently access special travel guides covering multiple locations in Sichuan and Chongqing via a dedicated mini-program, which includes features like local cuisine recommendations, AI-powered itinerary customization, and scenic spot audio guides. This initiative aims to upgrade the themed train from mere transportation into a comprehensive platform integrating cultural immersion, information services, and consumer convenience, effectively reducing travel costs and allowing the benefits of cultural and tourism development to reach a wider public.
Chongqing West Station
Chongqing West Station is a major modern railway hub in Chongqing, China, opened in 2018 to serve high-speed rail traffic. It was built to alleviate congestion at older stations and to strengthen the city’s role as a transportation center in western China, reflecting the region’s rapid economic and infrastructural development.
Chengdu East Station
Chengdu East Station is a major high-speed railway hub in Chengdu, China, which opened in 2011. It was built to accommodate the expanding high-speed rail network, particularly serving lines like the Chengdu-Chongqing railway. The station symbolizes the city’s modern transportation growth and is a key gateway connecting western China to other major regions.
Mount Emei Station
Mount Emei Station is the main railway station serving the city of Emeishan in Sichuan Province, China. It was opened in 1970 as part of the Chengdu-Kunming Railway, a major engineering feat built to connect southwestern China. The station provides crucial access for visitors traveling to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Emei, one of Buddhism’s Four Sacred Mountains.
Dazu Rock Carvings
The Dazu Rock Carvings are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Chongqing, China, comprising over 50,000 Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist sculptures and inscriptions carved into cliffsides between the 9th and 13th centuries. They are renowned for their exceptional artistic quality, harmonious blending of religious themes, and well-preserved state, offering a vivid depiction of secular and spiritual life in medieval China.
Golden Summit of Mount Emei
The Golden Summit of Mount Emei is the highest peak of Mount Emei, a sacred Buddhist mountain in China’s Sichuan province. Historically, it has been a major pilgrimage site for over 1,800 years, renowned for its temples, including the Huazang Temple, and its spectacular “Sea of Clouds” sunrise views. The iconic 48-meter-tall golden statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, erected in 2006, now dominates the summit as a modern symbol of the site’s enduring spiritual significance.
Three Kingdoms culture
“Three Kingdoms culture” refers to the historical legacy and popular traditions stemming from the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD) in China, a turbulent era of warfare and alliance between the states of Wei, Shu, and Wu. It is immortalized primarily through the 14th-century historical novel *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, which dramatizes the period’s heroes, battles, and strategies. This culture remains deeply influential across East Asia, expressed through literature, opera, video games, and proverbs that celebrate values like loyalty, cunning, and valor.
Bashu region
The Bashu region, centered in modern Sichuan and Chongqing, is an ancient cultural area historically defined by the states of Ba and Shu. It flourished as a distinct civilization during the Zhou dynasty and is renowned for the Sanxingdui archaeological discoveries, which revealed a sophisticated Bronze Age culture distinct from the Central Plains. The region was later integrated into imperial China, with its unique cultural identity preserved in its history, cuisine, and language.
Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle
The Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle is a major regional development strategy launched by the Chinese government in 2021 to integrate the two southwestern megacities and their surrounding areas into a powerful economic hub. Historically, both cities have long been key commercial and industrial centers in Sichuan Basin, with the initiative building on their complementary strengths to drive growth in western China. It aims to enhance connectivity, innovation, and urban-rural coordination, positioning the region as a crucial engine for the country’s inland development.
