China · Scenic · Heritage
Trains 5633 and 5634 take about nine and a quarter hours to cover 376 kilometres between Puxiong and Panzhihua South on the old Chengdu–Kunming railway, stopping at twenty-five small stations on the way. China Railway keeps the service running as a subsidised welfare slow train for the Yi communities of the Daliang mountains, and the hard-seat fare has been held at a few yuan for decades.
Puxiong → Panzhihua
China State Railway Group (China Railway)
Photo: Saigyouji-Noriko · CC BY-SA 4.0
From the record
This is the opposite of the high-speed China everyone photographs: a green-liveried stopping train that people board with chickens, sacks of potatoes and market produce, and which is the only practical transport for several of the villages it serves. The line itself is a serious piece of 1960s engineering, spiralling through tunnels and along ledges above the Anning river valley. Ride it as an ethnographic experience rather than a comfortable one; the seats are hard, the ride is slow, and that is the point.
Our current editorial assessment, for comparing journeys, a considered judgement, not a measurement.
More subjective
Not rated yet: food & drink, seat quality, onboard service, slow travel quality, romance, remoteness.
Step-free access and assistance are set out with the practical detail further down rather than reduced to a score.
The line
The published route runs from Puxiong to Panzhihua via Yuejicun, Xichang, Puge, Jinyang.
376 km · Puxiong to Panzhihua
Key stops
PuxiongYuejicunXichangPugeJinyangPanzhihua South
Puxiong
China
Yuejicun
China
Xichang
China
Puge
China
Jinyang
China
Panzhihua South
China
Along the railway
Evidence on demand
Route, onboard, season, fit and booking detail remain available without interrupting the journey above. Unknowns stay visible.
9h 18m
The published route runs from Puxiong to Panzhihua via Yuejicun, Xichang, Puge, Jinyang.
376 km · Puxiong to Panzhihua
Key stops
PuxiongYuejicunXichangPugeJinyangPanzhihua South
Puxiong
China
Yuejicun
China
Xichang
China
Puge
China
Jinyang
China
Panzhihua South
China
Jan: Runs daily, year-round.
These months show when the train runs, which is a service fact. How good each month is for the experience has not been rated yet, so no month is presented as better than another.
Budget travellers
Especially good
Unusually good value for the distance and the scenery covered.
Rail enthusiasts
Especially good
The train and the line itself are a large part of the reason to travel.
Slow travellers
Especially good
A long journey where the time on board is the point.
Photographers
Especially good
Published photography score is high for this route's landscapes and structures.
It takes most of a day
9h 18m on board, end to end.
You cannot just turn up
A reservation is required for this journey.
Booking takes some effort
Verified as difficult to book.
Not yet verified: typical price, rail pass validity. We leave these blank rather than guess.
This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here. Journey length: 9h 18m. Checked 12 Sep 2026 · China Railway 12306 (official ticketing).
The detailed source record remains at the end of this guide. Review the evidence.
Your next step
A ticket is required to board even though the train is cheap and informal; buy through China Railway's 12306 system or at the station.
Check availability with China State Railway Group (China Railway) (opens in a new tab)This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here.
Far by Rail is a discovery guide, not a live timetable or booking service. Confirm times, fares and availability with the operator.
Continue exploring
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Photo: Julia Denton-Barker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Journey information is reviewed against published material and maintained as sources change.
Last reviewed 12 Sep 2026.
Official sources
Checked 12 Sep 2026