Jiayang Little Steam Train 嘉阳小火车Jiāyáng Xiǎohuǒchē

Why go to Jiayang Little Steam Train

The Jiayang railway is a 19.8 km, 762 mm narrow-gauge line in Qianwei County, south of Leshan, built in 1958–59 to haul coal out of the hills. Coal traffic has all but ended, yet small steam locomotives still pull open-windowed carriages over a zigzag, through tunnels and past terraced fields to the old mining town of Bajiaogou, making it one of the few steam passenger services left anywhere. In late February and March the valleys glow yellow with rapeseed.

The story

Bajiaogou grew up around a coal mine opened in 1938, and the little railway was its lifeline; passenger trains kept running after coal haulage ended in 2003 because there was still no road. The line was then kept as a heritage railway, and in 2010 the area became the Jiayang National Mining Park.

What to see at Jiayang Little Steam Train

• Yuejin Station 跃进站: The station where the steam trains start; locomotives are refilled here before the run up the line, so it is a good place to watch the little engines at work.
• Mifengyan zigzag 蜜蜂岩折返线: Midway along the line the track climbs by a zigzag, so the train reverses up the slope instead of running straight. It is one of the line's best photo stops.
• Open-windowed carriages 敞窗车厢: Passengers ride in small two-axle carriages with open windows, so the smoke, steam and rapeseed-scented air all come in with you.
• Bajiaogou 芭蕉沟: The old mining town the line was built to serve. Its coal mine opened in 1938, and the heritage mining museum and the old pit-head give the railway its context.
• Huangcunjing 黄村井: The far end of the line, at an old pit where the mine's story ends; the trains turn round here.

How to visit Jiayang Little Steam Train

Take the train from Yuejin Station and ride the line to its far end at Huangcunjing, with the zigzag at Mifengyan and the mining town of Bajiaogou on the way. Regular services run the full length in roughly an hour and a quarter each way, and tourist specials add extra carriages. Allow at least a half day for the round trip and more in flower season, when you will want to get off to walk between the fields.

How to get to Jiayang Little Steam Train

High-speed trains reach Qianwei station in about an hour from Chengdu East or 15 minutes from Leshan. Yuejin station, where the steam trains start, is then a taxi ride of roughly 20–25 km.

Where to stay

Stay in Leshan city, which has the most choice and a quick train link to Qianwei, or in Qianwei county town, close to the line. Bajiaogou town at the far end suits a night if you want the lanes to yourself once the last train has gone.

What to eat

• Qiaojiao beef 翘脚牛肉: A Leshan speciality of beef and offal simmered in a spicy broth, usually eaten with the tender beef, tripe and tendon pulled out of the pot piece by piece.
• Sweet-skin duck 甜皮鸭: Leshan's glazed roast duck, with a crisp, slightly sweet skin; it is also sold vacuum-packed to take home.

Tips for visiting Jiayang Little Steam Train

• Departures are limited, typically a few round trips a day with extra tourist specials at weekends and holidays in flower season, so check the day's timetable before setting out.
• Book ahead in rapeseed season and on public holidays, when trains sell out; the full round trip takes about two hours.
• At Bajiaogou, see the mining museum and go down the old Huangcunjing pit, where you can try digging coal by hand.

Nearby

• Leshan Giant Buddha 乐山大佛 30 km
  A 71-metre Buddha carved from a riverside cliff where three rivers meet
• Mount Emei 峨眉山 50 km
  A sacred Buddhist mountain of mist, monasteries and a golden summit above the clouds
• Zigong, City of Salt and Dinosaurs 自贡 100 km
  Jurassic dinosaurs, ancient brine wells and the lanterns that made the city famous
• Mount Mengding 蒙顶山 120 km
  Misty tea terraces and an imperial tea garden where tea growing is said to have begun

Also within 30 km: World Jasmine Expo Park, Qianwei 世界茉莉博览园 (10 km), Qianwei Confucius Temple 犍为文庙 (10 km), Luocheng Ancient Town 罗城古镇 (20 km).

On the map

Open Jiayang Little Steam Train on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)