(ECNS) -- More than 300 Russian students departed from Manzhouli Railway Station in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 9:40 p.m. on Saturday aboard train Y778, bound for Qiqihar in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
The journey marked this year's first run of a dedicated study-tour train for foreign visitors operated by China Railway Harbin Bureau Group Co., Ltd.
The students, aged 6 to 17, are from primary and secondary schools in Chita, Russia. They are visiting China for a six-day educational exchange program themed "I Have a Home in China."
The itinerary includes stops in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia, and Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, where participants will experience traditional Chinese culture and learn about the distinctive cultures of China's border regions and northeastern black-soil region.
To ensure a smooth journey, Manzhouli Railway Station set up a designated waiting area and a priority boarding lane for the group. The station also prepared bilingual Chinese-Russian safety cards and directional signs.
Passenger service points provided drinking water, emergency medical supplies, adhesive bandages and charging facilities to meet the students' needs.
The Qiqihar Passenger Transport Section, responsible for onboard services, cleaned the train before departure and checked the carriages every 20 minutes at night.
The train conductor installed a Russian translation app on their phone to communicate with passengers.
"For many of the children, this is their first time traveling on a study-tour train in China. Railway staff and police officers on duty looked after us attentively, while the station provided a dedicated waiting area and staff to guide us.
The entire process, from entering the station to boarding the train, was smooth and well organized, and we felt safe and welcome," said a teacher accompanying the group.
（By Helen Mo & intern Alvin）
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