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In praise of slower pleasures

Updated: 2025-05-23 06:55 ( CHINA DAILY )
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The street view in Wanning, Hainan province, which was part of Shen Tie's 13-day journey from Beijing to Hong Kong in December.CHINA DAILY

Eschewing planes and trains, some travelers are using buses to make the journey to their destination, Wang Qian reports.

In an era dominated by high-speed trains and budget flights, a growing number of young travelers are redefining exploration by opting for slow, immersive journeys via public bus. The trend, driven by a desire for deeper cultural engagement and cost-effective travel, is reshaping how some among the younger generation experience the country's vast landscapes and diverse communities.

Most people would take a three to four-hour flight or the high-speed train to travel from Beijing to Hong Kong, but 22-year-old Shen Tie, a journalism student and self-proclaimed bus enthusiast, instead opted to take 120 buses, stopping at more than 3,100 stations on his winding 13-day journey along the public transit network in December, at a cost of 2,800 yuan ($389).

Shen's fascination with buses began in kindergarten, when he would beg his parents to ride loops around his hometown of Jinzhou in Liaoning province instead of napping. "It's a niche hobby," he says, contrasting it with mainstream pastimes like sports or binge-watching dramas.

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