A special tourist train departed from Shanghai West Railway Station recently, carrying 504 passengers on an 18-day journey to Xinjiang. This marks the first long-distance tourist service from the station since its reconstruction in 2010, signaling a strategic shift toward specialized tourism functions.

The train, primarily serving retirees over 50, has been fully optimized for senior travelers. It features soft-sleeper compartments equipped with USB ports, accessible toilets at both ends of each carriage, and three onboard medical staff.

As a key transport hub in northwestern Shanghai, the station connects major rail lines including the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, Shanghai-Kunming Railway, and Shanghai-Nanjing Intercity Railway, alongside Metro Lines 11, 15, and 20. In the first half of this year, passenger volume surged by 30.52 percent year-on-year to over 350,000 travelers.

In mid-July, Putuo District announced plans to strengthen the station’s role as a “high-speed rail tourism hub.” The district’s culture and tourism bureau is collaborating with partners to develop themed travel products such as “Traveling Along the Shanghai-Nanjing Corridor” and “Exploring China by High-Speed Rail,” with itineraries starting from Shanghai West Station. An inaugural group tour ceremony is scheduled for late September.

Concurrently, Putuo District is advancing transit-oriented development (TOD) around the station. Key projects include the JD.com Shanghai Center and Middle Ring Haina Business Center, aiming to transform the area into an integrated “urban living room” combining transport, commerce, culture, and exhibition facilities.