CHINA: China has officially launched its first immersive themed cultural tourism train — the Tianjin Time Tour — a project that reimagines rail travel as a moving canvas of light, storytelling, and digital artistry. At the heart of this groundbreaking experience is Unilumin, whose LED display technologies and Metasight solutions power the train’s two most visually ambitious carriages: Car 7, the Montage Fantasy Interactive Performance Carriage, and Car 9, the Immersive Time-Tunnel Carriage.

Developed in collaboration with China Railway Beijing Group, Tianjin Tourism (Holding) Co., Ltd., and Thinda Environment Technology Group, these carriages transform a retro green train into a kinetic cultural gallery. Their debut drew national attention, earning praise from inaugural passengers and coverage from CCTV and People’s Daily.

Carriage 7 immerses travellers in a cinematic, interactive world shaped by a massive Unilumin LED canvas that wraps the interior walls. As the train accelerates, the carriage becomes a living stage where mountains, oceans, clouds, and starfields glide past. Passengers co-create the storyline with digital characters, blurring the lines between audience and performance. The warm, orange-themed environment — animated entirely by Unilumin’s displays — doubles as a social lounge, turning technology into an emotive art form.

Carriage 9 elevates immersion further with a custom 270-degree surround LED ceiling paired with glasses-free 3D visuals. The result is a time-travel tunnel where the ancient Tianjin port and a futuristic skyline coexist in a breathtaking sweep of spatial storytelling. Enhancing every frame is Unilumin’s Blanc AI Image Quality Engine, delivering precise colour rendering, elevated dynamic range, and consistently cinematic clarity.

The Tianjin Time Tour reflects a growing push to merge transportation with cultural tourism — a concept resonating strongly with young travellers, families, and senior tourists alike. Externally, the train’s gradient livery symbolises the passage of time; internally, traditional Tianjin motifs intertwine with advanced LED-driven narrative spaces to create an experience that is as educational as it is visually compelling.

Here, Unilumin’s technology moves far beyond simple display. It becomes a narrative medium — a tool that shifts passengers from passive viewers to active participants, and transforms the train itself into a mobile destination. By enabling a “multi-sensory immersion” model that is scalable and replicable, the project points towards a new future in cultural tourism design.

Looking ahead, Unilumin says it will continue partnering globally to develop themed, immersive travel experiences built on its Metasight ecosystem. If the Tianjin Time Tour is any indication, the next era of cultural tourism may not be found in traditional venues — but on the move.