China Yangtze Shipping Group, the country’s leading inland waterway cruise operator, has launched a landmark premium cruise route connecting the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing and the eastern global commercial hub Shanghai, with its state-of-the-art flagship vessel Yangtze 3 marking the milestone service this Wednesday. This new route makes history as the first regular Yangtze River cruise service to include a stop at Shanghai’s Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, a facility long known as a gateway for international ocean-going cruises that now opens its doors to inland river voyages along the world’s third-longest river.
The inaugural voyage is scheduled to kick off on October 30, departing from Chongqing’s iconic Chaotianmen Port, a historic trading hub located at the confluence of the Jialing River and the main stem of the Yangtze. After a 9-day scenic journey downstream that will take passengers through the diverse landscapes and cultural sites along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, the Yangtze 3 will dock at the Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal on November 8. The return upstream voyage back to Chongqing will begin the following day, offering passengers a second perspective on the Yangtze’s changing scenery from east to west.
As the longest-established operator of Yangtze River cruises, China Yangtze Shipping Group brings more than four decades of expertise to this new service. The company first launched commercial Yangtze cruise operations back in 1979, and over its decades of service, it has earned a strong reputation for excellence, having hosted countless domestic and foreign political dignitaries and tourists from around the world. This new route represents a major expansion of the company’s premium cruise offerings, and is expected to boost inland river tourism, trade connectivity, and cultural exchange between China’s western and eastern regions.