What's a panda? A theme train trip for 200 million won...I'm glad I didn't get sick
Sep 04, 2025
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According to Chinese media Jimu News and Hong Kong media South China Morning Post, a family in Jilin Province, China, spent 960,000 yuan (about 190 million won) in July on a 17-day 'Panda Express' train trip. A total of 26 family members included an 88-year-old elderly man and two infants.
Travel packages were promoted from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, including luxury hotel stays, train rooms with private bathrooms, 15 breakfasts and 32 dinners, professional guide services, cultural performances and ethnic shows.
But the actual trip was far from what I expected.
According to the family, the meal was very ordinary, unlike the 'Panda-themed neat plating' highlighted in the promotional video, and in the alpine section, families who complained of altitude sickness contacted the service number provided at night, but there was no response.
A member of the family said "I was outside on a tight schedule all day and boarded the train after 11 p.m., and I had to wash up in the bathroom of the train station."After getting off the train at 6 a.m., I waited for the bus for more than two hours on the side of the road," he complained.
He also said "I see why the medical staff accompanied him. It was a relief if I didn't get sick. Older people with underlying diseases should consider the products carefully and use them," he added.
In the face of controversy, the travel agency explained that "The dinner in the promotional video is only a prop for events such as press conferences, not meals served to actual passengers."
Currently, the family is taking legal action to protect consumer rights.
The train is operated by China's Chengdu Group and has been popular as a filial piety travel package for parents since it began piloting in March 2021. However, this incident is bringing back the reality of high-priced travel products and consumer protection issues.
Online reactions such as "960,000 yuan can make a down payment for a house", "For that amount of money, you can travel to various European countries for more than 10 days", "It's amazing that it's still operating".
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
