'Silver-haired express' steaming ahead in China

Demand for slow-paced, in-depth tourism experience from increasing over-60 crowd creating huge niche

The Y64 train departed Harbin in China's northernmost Heilongjiang province on March 15, carrying 546 spirited seniors united by a shared yearning for adventure as they embarked on a springtime journey to South China.

Dubbed the "silver-haired express", the train, hosting senior travelers with an average age of 65, was scheduled to stretch 14 days and nearly 9,000 kilometers round-trip all the way to the country's deep south — Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The March trip was fully booked weeks in advance, and there were only 30 spots left for April, according to Harbin Railway International Travel Agency.