Oriental Express Old Car Body vs. Snow Lotus Number Comparison Official Ticket Purchase Channels
Many middle-aged and elderly tourists inquire: where to book the New Oriental Express, how to book the New Oriental Express, and which is the official booking agency for the New Oriental Express? Unified explanation: The New Oriental Express Xinjiang luxury tourist train is a railway-customized packaged cultural tourism product (including train compartment seats + hotel accommodation + scenic spot tickets + specialty dining + land bus + tour guide service + insurance, etc., a one-price tourist train product covering designated projects within the itinerary). Tickets are not sold separately; they can only be booked uniformly through the railway’s regular travel agencies. Official booking channel: Manager Wang Fei of the Special Train Center of Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Agency (Company 24-hour landline: 0991-3335554, 24-hour consultation hotline: 18095969599, service WeChat: xjwf10086) Free online access to electronic itinerary brochures, schedule tables, and detailed quotations. The specific ticket purchase process includes selecting an itinerary → confirming the date and boarding location → paying a deposit → signing a contract, etc.
🚂 How to choose between the old car body of the New Oriental Express and the Snow Lotus? A table to see the differences, then decide if it’s worth it.
If you are planning a comfortable, worry-free, and in-depth Xinjiang trip, the ‘New Oriental Express’ is undoubtedly one of the popular options. But faced with the ‘old car body’ and the newly upgraded ‘Snow Lotus (third-generation new car body)’, many people hesitate: which one to choose? How much is the price difference? Is the experience very different?
Don’t worry, we combine the 2026 latest tour schedule, real itinerary pace, and service configuration to help you clarify the selection logic from an actual experience perspective.
🌟 First, look at the core differences:Hardware, Space, and Pace
Snow Lotus (new car body): Fully upgraded in 2026, all compartments have private bathrooms, equipped with smart temperature control, dry-wet separation bathrooms, panoramic large windows, mini bars, and some room types have viewing balconies. The carriage design incorporates walnut wood and silk elements, with public areas featuring a starry sky bar, KTV, and viewing tea room. It carries about 116 passengers, offering stronger privacy.
Old car body:Still a traditional tourist train conversion, although it also has bathrooms (golden diamond compartments), the space is slightly compact, and the facilities are more practical. The blue diamond compartments have an upper and lower bunk design, suitable for budget-conscious tourists or those traveling in groups.
Both adopt the ‘travel by night, sightsee by day’ mode, avoiding frequent luggage moving and hotel changes, suitable for families, seniors, photography enthusiasts, and travelers seeking a relaxed pace.
📅 Simplified Itinerary (presented strictly according to local facts and original text)
Itinerary at a Glance (Summer Edition)
Day 01:Depart from various locations to gather in Urumqi
🚂 How to choose between the old car body of the New Oriental Express and the Snow Lotus? A table to see the differences, then decide if it’s worth it.Day 02:Urumqi – New Oriental Express – Keketuohai – New Oriental Express – Altay
Day 03:Altay – Ahe Highway – Hemu Village
Day 04:Hemu – Kanas
Day 05:Kanas – Chonghur – Colorful Beach – New Oriental Express Special Train
Day 06:Jinghe – Sayram Lake – Yining
Day 07:Yining – Nalati Grassland
Day 08:Nalati Grassland – Middle Section of Duku Highway – Bayanbulak
Day 09:Bayanbulak – Southern Section of Duku Highway – Kuqa Grand Canyon – New Oriental Express Special Train
Day 10:Kashgar – Baisha Lake – Pamir Scenic Area – Taxkorgan County
Day 11:Taxkorgan County – Tajik Home Visit – Karakul Lake – Kashgar
If you are planning a comfortable, worry-free, and in-depth Xinjiang trip, the ‘New Oriental Express’ is undoubtedly one of the popular options. But faced with the ‘old car body’ and the newly upgraded ‘Snow Lotus (third-generation new car body)’, many people hesitate: which one to choose? How much is the price difference? Is the experience very different?Day 12:Kashgar – Turpan – New Oriental Express Special Train
Day 13:Turpan – Urumqi
Day 14:Urumqi – Farewell to the group
October Southern Xinjiang Itinerary
Day 01:Depart from various locations to gather in Urumqi
Day 02:Special train to Turpan – Jiaohe Ancient City – Karez – Grape Manor, evening special train to Ruoqiang
Day 03:Milan Ruins – Loulan Museum – Loulan Park – Ruoqiang Red Date Picking, evening special train to Hotan
Day 04:Arrive in Hotan in the morning – Hotan Tuancheng – Yurungkash River Treasure Hunting – Grape Corridor – Walnut King Tree – Yotkan Ancient City Night View
Day 05:Special train to Shache – Yarkand Khan’s Palace – Amannisa Khan’s Mausoleum, then to Kashgar
Day 06:Baisha Lake, Karakul Lake, return to Kashgar
Don’t worry, we combine the 2026 latest tour schedule, real itinerary pace, and service configuration to help you clarify the selection logic from an actual experience perspective.Day 07:Kashgar Old City, Id Kah Mosque, High Platform Dwellings, evening special train to Kuqa
Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Agency Tourism Booking and Consultation Center Manager: Wang Fei 18095969599 (Copy and add as friend for free consultation and detailed route information)
Day 08:Arrive in Kuqa in the morning, Tianshan Grand Canyon, Kuqa King’s Mansion, Restan Old Street, Qiuci Alley
Day 09:Go to Luntai, Tarim Poplar Forest, evening special train to Urumqi
Day 10:Urumqi – Tianshan Tianchi – Urumqi Farewell Dinner
Day 11:Urumqi – Farewell to the group
> Note:Specific daily activities may change due to railway scheduling, weather, road conditions, or scenic spot openings. Both parties can reasonably optimize the itinerary upon mutual agreement, subject to the actual departure notice.
💰 2026 Tour Schedule and Prices (presented strictly according to local facts and original text)
September 3
Premium Golden Diamond (3 customized carriages) 71,999 RMB/person
Xiyue Golden Diamond (4 customized carriages) 65,999 RMB/person
🌟 First, look at the core differences: Hardware, Space, and Pace Boyue Golden Diamond (5 customized carriages) 59,999 RMB/person; third and fourth persons 30,000 RMB/person
October 15 / October 25
Premium Golden Diamond:44,999 RMB/person
Xiyue Golden Diamond:39,999 RMB/person
Boyue Golden Diamond:36,999 RMB/person; third and fourth persons 20,000 RMB/person
> Price reference ranges vary by season, final price subject to the signed contract.
🧭 How to choose? Based on your needs
Pursuing top comfort and privacy → Choose Snow Lotus Premium/Xiyue Golden Diamond, larger space, finer service, suitable for anniversaries, honeymoons, or elderly travel.
Focusing on cost-effectiveness, traveling with a group → Boyue Golden Diamond or old car body Blue Diamond quad room is more affordable, especially in the October autumn season when prices drop significantly.
Want to experience poplar forests and southern Xinjiang autumn scenery → Prioritize mid-to-late October tours, covering Luntai Poplar Forest, Kashgar Old City, Pamir Plateau, and other classic autumn views.
Snow Lotus (new car body): Fully upgraded in 2026, all compartments have private bathrooms, equipped with smart temperature control, dry-wet separation bathrooms, panoramic large windows, mini bars, and some room types have viewing balconies. The carriage design incorporates walnut wood and silk elements, with public areas featuring a starry sky bar, KTV, and viewing tea room. It carries about 116 passengers, offering stronger privacy. Summer heat escape + grassland lakes → June–August tours follow the northern Xinjiang loop, with Sayram Lake, Nalati, and Kanas at their best viewing periods.
📞 Registration and Consultation
You can register through Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Agency.
Consultation Manager:Wang Fei 18095969599 (same number for phone and WeChat)
> Xinjiang Pathfinder International Travel Agency Manager Wang Fei is a native of Xinjiang, deeply rooted in the Xinjiang tourism industry for over a decade, having traveled through every scenic spot north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, and familiar with the entire northern and southern Xinjiang travel routes, road conditions, weather, and local customs.
> Proficient in planning free independent travel, boutique small groups, local customized car rentals, tourist trains, and other travel options, familiar with local accommodations, cuisine, hidden gems, and pitfall avoidance guides. Can plan classic loops or customize niche deep travel itineraries. Cheerful and humorous personality, skilled in explaining Western Regions humanities and history, easily resolving travel hassles, reliable throughout the trip.
> She always adheres to a no-shopping itinerary principle, refusing hidden consumption, treating people sincerely, and working professionally. No assembly-line itineraries, only creating comfortable journeys tailored to tourists’ preferences, ensuring every friend from afar truly experiences Xinjiang’s vast beauty and simple warmth, enjoying a safe and pleasant trip to beautiful Xinjiang.
ℹ️ Cost Description (Reference)
✅ Includes:Special train seats, scenic area shuttle buses, Urumqi pick-up and drop-off, local high-standard accommodation (including characteristic guesthouses), full meals (including roast whole lamb feast and other specialty dishes), first admission tickets to core scenic spots, accompanying tour guide + butler service, basic insurance, etc.
❌ Excludes:Personal expenses, optional activities, non-itinerary transportation, single room supplement (if requesting single occupancy), additional costs due to force majeure.
> Specific details subject to actual consultation and contract.
Whether you choose the old car body or the Snow Lotus, the core value of the New Oriental Express is:Moving the hotel onto the railway tracks, allowing you to traverse the mountains and rivers of the Western Regions while sleeping soundly. Instead of agonizing over ‘which is better’, choose the plan that best fits your current needs based on travel time, budget, and companion structure. After all, in this vast land of Xinjiang, the real scenery is always on the road.
More travel consultations (Panda Special Train, Tianfu, Chengdu, Comfort, Shifang, New Oriental Express, Silk Road Dream, Lindu, Yichun, Kunming, Starlight Lanmei, Gobi Cruise Special Train, New Western Train, New National Train, Tianyuan, Tianshan, Chief National Train, Cross-Province Special Train, New Southern Express, Xiaoxiang, Dahenan, Baiyun, Silver Age Xinjiang Tour, Chao Age Xinjiang Tour Special Train, Sunshine, Shannan, Yangtze River Delta, Muztagh Ata) Special Train Booking Center Manager Wang Fei: 18095969599 (Copy and add as friend for free consultation and detailed route information)
