No train in China has a naming problem quite like the New Orient Express. For 2027 the operator runs three different trains under one brand, priced from RMB 10,888 to RMB 72,999 per person — a seven-fold spread. Sellers quote them side by side with little explanation, and more than one quotation we have seen quietly mixes tiers. This page separates the three, then helps you pick.
First, the names — they changed in 2027
From 2026 the operator fields a completely rebuilt third-generation train (雪莲号, the Snow Lotus), and from 2027 it runs two configurations of it simultaneously. The official naming:
- Xuelian Zijin 雪莲紫金号 (Snow Lotus Purple Gold) — the flagship configuration, carrying the top two cabin classes: Supreme Diamond (至尊金钻) and Imperial Diamond (玺悦金钻).
- Xuelian Bojin 雪莲铂金号 (Snow Lotus Platinum Gold) — the same third-generation trainset in a denser configuration, carrying only the Ease Diamond (铂悦金钻) class.
- Xingyi 星熠号 — the second-generation train, with Diamond (金钻) and Blue Diamond (蓝钻) cabins. Note the character: yì (熠, “glittering”), not the 雪 used elsewhere — a detail several channel pages get wrong.
So “the New Orient Express” in 2027 means three different physical trains. Everything below follows from that.
The three at a glance
| Xuelian Zijin | Xuelian Bojin | Xingyi (2nd gen) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin classes | Supreme + Imperial Diamond | Ease Diamond | Diamond + Blue Diamond |
| Cabin size | 12 m² / 8 m² | Compact | — |
| En-suite bath, wet/dry split | Yes, all cabins | Yes, all cabins | Confirm per cabin |
| Guests per sleeping car | 6 (3 compartments) / 8 (4 compartments) | Denser | Highest |
| Onboard meal standard | Third generation: breakfast RMB 70, lunch/dinner RMB 150. Second generation: simpler set meals. | ||
| 2027 fare, 14-day N&S Xinjiang | 58,999 – 72,999 | 27,888+ | 10,888 – 25,888 |
| 2027 fare, 11-day South Xinjiang | 38,999 – 46,999 | 16,888+ | 10,888 – 25,888 |
What the third generation buys you
The rebuilt trainset standardised the feature that defines this market: every cabin has an en-suite bathroom with separated wet and dry zones. The Supreme Diamond cabin runs about 12 m² — three compartments per car, six guests — with beds at 1.7 × 2 m (king) or 0.85 × 2 m (single), a lounge sofa and table. The Imperial Diamond is 8 m² with four compartments per car. Dining is a proper restaurant operation: breakfast at RMB 70, lunch and dinner at RMB 150 per head, plus a music dining-bar car and a dedicated kitchen car.
The Platinum Gold configuration trades space for price: same third-generation carbody and bathroom standard, but a denser cabin layout that brings the 14-day journey down to the high-twenties (thousands of RMB).
What the second generation is
The Xingyi is the older trainset that built the brand’s reputation — and at RMB 10,888 for a 14-day Xinjiang journey in a Blue Diamond four-berth, it is the volume product that keeps the calendar full. The trade-offs are the ones you would expect: smaller and simpler cabins, a higher guest count per car, and dining that is a notch below the new trainset’s. Our honest advice on its bathrooms: confirm the exact cabin’s facilities when you book, because the second-generation fleet was refurbished in stages and channel descriptions are inconsistent about which cabins are en-suite.
The 2027 calendar in brief
- Xuelian Zijin: spring (16 Apr, 7 May, 20 May), summer (2 Jun, 16 Jun, 30 Jun, 14 Jul, 28 Jul, 11 Aug), autumn (30 Aug, 13 Sep, 27 Sep) on the 14-day loop; south-Xinjiang 11-day on 15 and 25 Oct.
- Xuelian Bojin: spring (18 Apr, 18 May), summer (9 Jun, 23 Jun, 7 Jul, 22 Jul, 5 Aug, 20 Aug), autumn (4 Sep, 18 Sep); south Xinjiang 3, 13, 26 Oct.
- Xingyi: fourteen departures from 10 April through 27 October.
Seasonal naming matters for price as much as class: the same cabin moves from RMB 58,999 in spring to 66,999 in autumn on the Zijin. The platinum group steps with the season and with occupancy: RMB 26,888 four-berth (twin 37,888) on the spring sailing, 27,888 (twin 38,888) in summer, and 21,888 (twin 27,888) on the late-summer and October sailings, with a reduced third-berth rate in each season.
Costs beyond the headline
- Single supplement: RMB 8,000 for hotel nights; train-berth supplements of RMB 46,000 per berth (Supreme Diamond) and 38,000 (Imperial Diamond) if you will not share.
- Children: under-14s at RMB 19,999 on the third generation — includes meals, vehicle and guide costs but no train berth, hotel bed or tickets.
- Deposit: roughly RMB 20,000 per person for a Gold Diamond berth, RMB 10,000 for Blue Diamond, held against a receipt before the regulated contract is signed.
- A pricing caveat: the September 2026 operator article breaks the Platinum class into four-berth, twin and third-berth seasonal rates (spring 26,888 / summer 27,888 / late-summer and autumn 21,888 on a four-berth basis), which squares the “from 27,888” headline with the seasonal steps above. Earlier channel pages showed different sub-tiers (32,999 four-berth / 46,999 two-berth). Get the written breakdown for your specific date before paying.
How to choose
Pick Xuelian Zijin if this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and you want the full product: the biggest cabins, the best dining, six to eight guests per car. Pick Xuelian Bojin if you want the new trainset’s hardware at a mid-level price — it is the value play of the 2027 programme. Pick the Xingyi if the itinerary itself is the point and the cabin is where you sleep: at RMB 10,888 it is arguably the strongest price-to-itinerary ratio in the country.
Whichever you choose, book through the operator hotline or an authorised agent — none of the three appears on 12306. Our booking guide and the full 2027 price table cover the rest.
See the New Orient Express →Compare the Three Trains
Sources: operator and authorised-channel 2027 releases (August 2026) for naming, configuration, calendar and fares. Fare discrepancies between channel summaries are noted inline; all figures are channel-published reference rates — confirm in writing before paying a deposit.