Kazakhstan's national railway operator NC KTZ JSC and Passenger Transportation JSC held a working meeting with a delegation from the municipal government of Xi'an (PRC) to finalize arrangements for an international tourist passenger train running between the two cities. The talks focused on operational scheduling, border crossing procedures, and passenger services at the Kazakh terminus.
The proposed service will utilize the Khorgos-Altynkol border crossing—one of the primary rail interfaces connecting China's western railway network with Kazakhstan's infrastructure. Operations will follow the established timetable of passenger train No. 103/104, which currently runs along the Urumqi–Almaty-2 corridor, giving the new tourist service a ready-made scheduling template rather than requiring entirely new slot allocations.
Under the current plan, arriving trains will dwell at Almaty-2 station for several days, allowing passengers extended time to explore the city and surrounding region. During this stopover period, the Kazakh side will handle security coordination and help organize cultural programming for visiting travelers directly within the railway station complex. The arrangement aims to transform the station from a transit point into an active hub for cross-cultural engagement.
The initiative aligns with broader infrastructure and tourism development priorities across the Transcaspian corridor, where border crossings like Khorgos have become increasingly important for China–Central Asia connectivity. Positioning Almaty as a destination for organized tour groups from western China supports Kazakhstan's strategy to develop hospitality capacity and service-sector jobs along major transit routes.
Ticketing details, trip frequency, and the full departure itinerary from Xi'an have not yet been announced. Officials indicated that additional technical coordination between the two railway administrations is required before the service can be formally added to the schedule.