STORY: Riding on a slow green train in China's Kunming
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 13, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 16, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:17
LOCATION: KUNGMING, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of passengers on a slow green train in China's Kunming
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YUAN QIZHEN, Conductor with Train No. 5652
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHAO SHUYING, Local farmer

STORYLINE:

Every morning, Train No. 5652 departs Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to Liupanshui in Guizhou Province.

With green skin and an average speed of around 50 km per hour, the slow train travels 261 km through 16 stations for a full fare of 36.5 yuan (about 5 U.S. dollars), with the lowest fare between neighboring stations being a mere 6 yuan.

In China, "green trains" stand as indispensable modes of transportation in regions where fast high-speed rail is not yet available.
   
Operating for non-profits, the trains' inexpensive ticket prices enable mountain dwellers to access education, medical services, work opportunities, and business activities, catering to almost all travel needs. 

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YUAN QIZHEN, Conductor with Train No. 5652
"Many passengers take this train and most are students, who enjoy a student discount. And farmers from villages and towns along the train route also take the train to neighboring towns and cities to sell their fresh produce in order to increase their incomes. Having worked on this route for over 10 years, I think the train has carried aspirations of the people to live a better life."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHAO SHUYING, Local farmer
"We got here by train, the slow train. We enjoy favorable policies that we can sell our products here without additional fees. And the products are sold out fast with better prices."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kunming, China.
(XHTV)