The Panda Express Chengdu left Chengdu Anjing Station on 11 August 2026 with a full load of 108 Chinese and international guests, opening its flagship "Panorama of North-South Xinjiang" journey across 8,000 km of snow mountains, lakes, grasslands, ancient towns and desert. It is the first top-tier panda-themed luxury tourist train built by China Railway Chengdu Group, and a regular member of the China Expresses curated fleet.
A flagship panda-themed train
The Chengdu runs 18 cars with just 54 private cabins for 108 guests, a deliberately small, intimate load. Every room carries a dry-wet separated en-suite bathroom, 24-hour constant-temperature hot water and a full smart-home control system. Public spaces include a golden-panda themed restaurant, the Liuyun Pavilion star-viewing audio-visual hall and the Yuefu intangible-heritage lounge, with Shu brocade, Shu embroidery, panda motifs and Sichuan-Bashu heritage woven into every carriage. Stepping aboard is, by design, an immersion in eastern aesthetics.
The 8,000 km route
The summer itinerary touches a full catalogue of Xinjiang's icons in one sweep: Sayram Lake, the Nalati Grassland, Bayanbulak, Kanas, Hemu, the Kashgar Old Town, the Pamir Plateau and White Sand Lake. It runs on the model the fleet made famous: view by day, travel by night, one berth the whole way, so guests never repack between stops.
Service and audience
Every guest is looked after by a dedicated panda butler, with medical staff, star chefs and cultural-tourism ambassadors aboard. Sichuan dishes and Xinjiang ethnic banquets rotate through the dining car, and the pace is tuned for senior travellers and groups of friends travelling together, the audience the Chengdu was built for.
2027 schedule and pricing
The 2027 programme is now published, with seven 16-day sailings split between two themes, priced in two cabin tiers (Youran Ju and Shiyi Ju):
- Midsummer Scroll (Jun 4, Jun 21, Jul 8, Jul 25, Aug 11) - from RMB 66,999 (Youran Ju) and RMB 70,999 (Shiyi Ju).
- Autumn Gilt (Aug 28, Sep 14) - from RMB 70,999 (Youran Ju) and RMB 74,999 (Shiyi Ju).
A separate 13-day South Xinjiang poplar run is also offered on 15 October 2026. Some 2027 berths are already sold out; the operator advises early booking through licensed channels.
Why it matters
For international travellers, the Chengdu is one of the fleet's most accessible flagships: panda identity, Sichuan hospitality and an all-inclusive Xinjiang circuit in a single booking. English-speaking guests should confirm cabins and availability through a curator rather than resale channels, as 2027 demand is running ahead of supply.
View the Panda Express Chengdu →Ask About a Departure
Source: China Railway Chengdu Group via xdfkc.cn (13 August 2026), China Expresses research. Dates and fares are operator-published reference rates; confirm at enquiry.