TEHRAN--The first tourist train departed from Kerman station to Rayen on Thursday. An action that marks the beginning of a new chapter in the development of travel infrastructure, strengthening the sustainable tourism, and creating new experiences for tourists in the southeast of the country.

It departed in the presence of the head of Kerman Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, the director general of Kerman Railways, a group of officials, tourism activists, and students of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, and accompanied its passengers on a delightful route to a series of historical and natural attractions of Rayen, including the historical Rayen Citadel, waterfalls, and unique landscapes of this part of the province, ISNA reported. 

Referring to the importance of this event, Head of Kerman Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department Morteza Nikrou said: The departure of the first tourist train from Kerman to Rayen is a clear sign of the province's new approach to developing tourism on basis of clean and sustainable transportation.

Nikrou stated: “Our effort is to strengthen the tourism infrastructure in a way that makes travel in Kerman province easier, safer and more attractive for domestic and foreign tourists.”

He added that Rayen is one of the most important tourist destinations in the province, and the launch of this train provides a better introduction to the cultural, historical and natural capacities of this city. “We hope that with continuation of this route, we will witness the prosperity of tourism businesses, an increase in staying of passengers and a balanced distribution of travel throughout the province.”

Nikrou also appreciated the cooperation of the railway and other executive agencies in realizing this plan and noted that this move is a practical step towards the sustainable development of tourism in the province. “We are trying to turn this rail route into one of the most attractive travel experiences in Kerman by planning various events and travel packages.”

According to the report, the first Kerman to Rayen tourist train began its journey with support of Kerman Railways and Shahid Bahonar University, with the presence of more than 250 students of this university on this route.

Rayen is a historical and tourist city in Kerman province, located on the slopes of Hezar Mountain, southeast of the provincial center.

Rayen is considered one of the province's pleasant and summer cities and is located 100 kilometers from Kerman.

Located in the southeast of Iran, Kerman province is bounded by the provinces of Fars on the west, Yazd on the north, South Khorasan on the northeast, Sistan-Baluchestan on the east, and Hormozgan on the south. It includes the southern part of the central Iranian desert, the Lut Desert.

Kerman province, with an area exceeding 180,000 square kilometers is one of Iran's vastest provinces. It enjoys a variety of climates including warm, semi-dry, extremely dry, moderate, and cold. 

Here in Kerman, the inhabitants fight the glowering face of desert difficulties, with patient smiles. Each monument in Kerman indicates some historical dimensions of the people's life. This makes Kerman a standing museum of various periods in Iranian history.

Many different kinds of stone and pottery works that belong to the 5th millennium BC have been dug up from the hills and plains of this land that indicate the antiquity of its civilization.

Kerman is home to myriad historical sites, gardens, and scenic landscapes such as Bazaar-e Sartasari, Vakil Bath, Fath Abad Garden, Shahzadeh Garden, Kaluts of Lut Desert and Bam citadel.

KD