The main scene in the film is the Sino-Russian international train K3/4, which passes through China, Mongolia and Russia and runs through Eurasia, with a total distance of nearly 8,000 kilometers. It is the longest passenger train in China, running at 1 and 3 1 hour, stopping at 45 stations and passing through nearly 50 cities in the past six days and nights, and is known as "the first train in China".
I want to make it clear here that the longest running train in China is K 19/20, which also connects Beijing and Moscow, and directly enters Russia from the northeast of China, with a total distance of nearly 9,000 kilometers. But it is operated by Russian railway department, so it is no problem to say that K3438/4 is the longest passenger train in China.
K3/4 train is not only long in mileage, but also expensive. According to Zhong, although the average price per hour is very cheap, the air ticket for the whole journey costs more than 6,000 yuan, which is much higher than the air ticket from Beijing to Moscow. But why is it hard to get a ticket for such a long and expensive train?
This has to start with the history of trains.
K3/4 train officially started on June 4th, 1959. It was the honeymoon period of Sino-Soviet relations. When it was first opened, Soviet railways provided vehicles and served as crew members. On May 24th, 1960, China Railway provided vehicles as crew members. In the early years, most people who took this train were government officials, delegations and even senior cadres at or above the provincial and ministerial levels. When the vehicle is overhauled in the garage, it is guarded by public security personnel. Therefore, many people call this train "the mysterious oriental train".
Sino-Soviet relations are not good, and there have been many diplomatic incidents on this train. During this period, train attendants are required not to chat with foreign passengers without authorization, and passengers are not allowed to get off and take pictures as a souvenir. When leaving the country, you are not allowed to bring other newspapers and periodicals except People's Daily. However, as a link between the two countries, although many events have taken place, K3/4 has never stopped.
This situation continued until the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 199 1. At this time, the passengers on the bus are no longer government officials, but businessmen selling international goods. At that time, people called "profiteers" turned buses into "trucks". It is said that half of the goods shipped from China to Russia can be sold during the journey, and local wholesalers will flock to every stop. Because the businessmen on the train fought and carried a lot of cash, there was also a Sino-Russian train robbery that shocked the whole country.
After 2000, the original "profiteering" has long been history, and official travel has long been replaced by airplanes. At present, tourists are mainly tourists. The main reason why they chose this train is to enjoy the scenery along the way and enrich their life experience. After all, a six-day and six-night train may be once in a lifetime. Therefore, the peak season is often full, and a ticket is hard to find.
The train passes through China, Mongolia and Russia, and passengers can enjoy the charming scenery. The first day is Xilin Gol Grassland, the second day is Mongolian Gobi Desert and Selenger Valley Forest, and the third day is Lake Baikal ... You can enjoy so many beautiful scenery in one trip, and the ticket price is certainly worth it.