Making tracks to visit Huilin

A tourism train connecting Beijing and Hulin in northeastern Heilongjiang province will start operations in July.

It'll access not only the area's natural allures but also Beidahuang, which translates as the great northern wilderness but is rapidly urbanizing.

The train will connect China's capital to neighboring Hebei province's Qinhuangdao, Beidaihe and Shanhai Pass, and Heilongjiang's capital, Harbin, Jiamusi, Mudanjiang and Fuyuan.

The country's northernmost province hosts Mudanjiang's Jingpo Lake, Hulin's Wusuli River and Zhenbao Island, Mishan's Khanka Lake and Fuyuan's Heixiazi Island, all of which can be accessed by the train.

It's an hour from the Russian border. Sightseeing buses travel to the neighboring nation's easternmost areas.

Another special tourism train connecting Shanghai and Zhejiang province's capital, Hangzhou, to Hulin will also soon begin operations.

Visitor numbers have grown by about 400,000 in recent years, the city's tourism authority says.

Nearly 30 itineraries have been developed to offer border views, woodlands and red tourism.

A destination for contemplation is the ruins of Hutou Fort, a Japanese military base used during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).

"River views, boat songs and fish dinners are must-dos," says Yin Hongliang, mayor of Hulin.

Wusuli hosts more than 40 valuable fish species.

The biodiverse wetlands of Hulin's Zhenbao Island cover 44,500 hectares.

And Yueya Lake becomes a sea of water lilies in the summer.

Such offerings make it seem like summer is a terrific time to ride the rails to Huilin.