Tan Chenjiang, a Maonan ethnic train conductor of Guiyang-Nanning High-Speed Railway. [Photo/Hechi Daily]

Tan Chenjiang, a Maonan ethnic train conductor, welcomed passengers on board the G4308 train from Nanning East Station to Guiyang North Station on Aug 31 at around 7:00 am. The train is the inaugural train of the Guiyang-Nanning High-Speed Railway.

The Guiyang-Nanning High-Speed Railway runs through various ethnic minority settlements, including Maonan, Yao, and Buyi communities.

Tan was selected as a member of the first crew for the Guiyang-Nanning High-Speed Railway. Leading up to the opening of the railway, she participated in emergency drills and etiquette training as well as learned about the new train model in order to provide the best possible services to passengers.

Huanjiang is the only autonomous county of the Maonan ethnic group in China, with a population of over 65,000 Maonan people out of a national total of just over 100,000. The region is characterized by karst landforms and limestone mountains and was previously a deeply impoverished county in Guangxi. It was lifted out of poverty in May 2020.

On the inaugural train, Tan became the center of attention with her exceptional skills and friendly demeanor. She confidently informed passengers that among the train crew members, many are from ethnic groups such as Dong, Zhuang, Yao, Miao, and Maonan. They can communicate in their respective languages and aim to provide the best possible services for passengers.

At 8:45 am that day, the train arrived at Huanjiang Station. Tan's parents were on board to experience the inaugural train ride. They expressed their excitement, saying, "It only took us a little over 10 minutes to reach the high-speed railway station from home, which is very convenient." This was their first time riding a high-speed train and their first time riding a train on which their daughter worked.

In the past, Tan had to take a bus to Hechi’s Jingchengjiang district and then transfer to a slow train, enduring a bumpy journey of over six hours from Nanning to return home. Now, with the opening of the Guiyang-Nanning High-Speed Railway, it only takes one hour to travel directly from Huanjiang to Nanning.

Tan (R) interacts with passengers. [Photo/Hechi Daily]