The Astral Express, also called by the Xianzhou Alliance as the Chromatic Echelon,[1] is a large train that serves as one of the main settings of Honkai: Star Rail. It was created by Akivili, the Aeon of Trailblaze, and used to transport THEM and the Nameless across the galaxy. After Akivili's disappearance, it fell into disrepair and eventually crash-landed onto an unnamed planet. Himeko discovered the wreckage and repaired the Express, becoming its navigator and forming a new Astral Express Crew. Their current goal is to retrace Akivili's steps, repairing the star rail THEY laid down thousands of years ago and sealing the Stellarons threatening the galaxy.
The Astral Express is not treated as its own world in Navigation, but is instead accessible from every world's area list. Currently, three cars can be accessed in-game: the Parlor Car, Party Car, and the Passenger Cabin. A buffet car has been mentioned, but has not been seen.
Story[]
The Astral Express was created by Akivili using unknown methods. Legends claim that Akivili's heart powers the core of the Express, although Himeko has found no evidence to support that claim.[2]
Shortly after the fall of Akivili, a loyal group of Nameless took THEIR trailblazing legacy upon themselves. However, the star rail became obstructed as Stellarons began spreading across the galaxy, preventing the Express from running. It eventually fell into disrepair and was abandoned.
Some time later, the Express crash-landed onto an unnamed planet, where it was discovered by Himeko.[Note 1] She successfully repaired the train after many years and began retracing Akivili's steps through the universe, eventually recruiting Welt, Dan Heng, March 7th, and the Trailblazer to the Astral Express crew. The Express is currently traveling on a route that Akivili once embarked on, with its final destination being THEIR home world, Pegana.[2][3]
As the Astral Express crew finished their adventure in Penacony, Welt explained that the Express gets fuel by converting "Trailblaze" into the energy it needs to run. As long as trailblazing expeditions continue without interruption, the Express receives a constant flow of energy akin to a perpetual motion machine, but since their last few expeditions were longer than anticipated, they only had enough fuel for two more warp jumps. To solve this problem, the Memokeeper Black Swan suggested they travel to a world that even Akivili had never reached — the Eternal Land, Amphoreus. If they could lay down a new stretch of the star rail to Amphoreus, the Express would never have to worry about fuel again.[4]
Description[]
"Choo! Choo! Sit tight, no one fight, warp jump watch your head. Choo! Choo! Seat belt, fasten-up, buffet car speeding up!"
After the fall of Akivili, the Aeon of Trailblaze, THEIR trailblazing will was inherited by THEIR followers, the Nameless, including the Astral Express that the Aeon once rode on. However, as the Cancer of All Worlds continues to spread, the star rails that the Express runs on also fell victim. The Express could barely run before the blight descended, and had no choice but to run around when the rails became overly obstructed.
It remained so for many years until a girl with red hair discovered the desolate Express. She was fascinated by the wordless stories the engine and the star rails had in store. She spent countless hours repairing the cracks and evening the dents, restoring the Express to its original form. The curious girl then set foot into the Express and began her trailblazing voyage that surveys the cosmos.
The Astral Express made stops at every station, with passengers boarding and exiting along the way. Many join and leave the Express' journey. The travelers come from different worlds, shoulder different burdens, and head to different destinations. However, while they are on the Astral Express, they would share the same voyage. That is why Himeko and the Express do not hesitate to open the doors to anyone willing to share this magical experience, regardless of their agendas and intentions.
Subareas[]
There are 4 Subareas in Astral Express:
| Name | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
 Passenger Cabin
|
|
This express car had witnessed many stories, and now it is only a guest area for the Crew to rest in. |
| Parlor Car
|
|
Strictly speaking, the name "Parlor Car" is not quite accurate. There are, after all, many cars with windows, and they can also be used to take in the scenery. But considering this car is usually used to receive guests, perhaps the various individuals who board the Express count as the true "scenery" within the car. |
| Party Car
|
|
Once called the Meeting Car and newly renamed the Party Car. Its primary use is as a cafeteria and bar, but sometimes it's also used for meetings and board games. The only thing it hasn't quite been used for is parties... |
| Trailblazer's Room | 
|
Characters[]
Playable Characters[]
9 Characters match the category selection:
| Character | Rarity | Path | Combat Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 Dan Heng |  |  The Hunt |  Wind |
 Himeko |  |  Erudition |  Fire |
 March 7th | |  Preservation |  Ice |
 March 7th | | The Hunt |  Imaginary |
 Trailblazer | |  Destruction |  Physical |
 Trailblazer | | Preservation | Fire |
 Trailblazer | |  Harmony | Imaginary |
 Trailblazer | |  Remembrance | Ice |
 Welt | |  Nihility | Imaginary |
Upcoming Characters[]
NPCs[]
Related NPCs
There are 6 additional NPCs related to Astral Express:
Mentioned Characters
There are no mentioned characters related to Astral Express.
Upcoming NPCs
There are no upcoming NPCs related to Astral Express.
Trivia[]
The insignia as seen on Dan Heng's coat.
- "Astral Express" is also the name of the main CN server of Honkai: Star Rail.
- All playable members of the crew, as well as some historical members, carry an Astral Express badge that resembles a Star Rail Special Pass.
- Dan Heng's badge is located on the bottom right corner of his coat.
- Himeko's badge is located on the corner of her coat beside her right hip.
- March 7th's badge is located on the front of the black vest wrapped around her skirt.
- Mikhail doesn't appear to have a badge, though Misha's was located on the cascade of his shirt.
- Razalina's badge was located in her hair or the left side of her head.
- The Trailblazer's badge is located on the left collar of their coat, situated on the chest.
- Tiernan's badge was located on a strap on the right shoulder of his coat.
- Welt's badge is located on the back side of the brown band wrapped around his right arm.
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Astral Express |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 星穹列车 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 星穹列車 |
| Japanese | 星穹列車 |
| Korean | 은하열차 |
| Spanish | Expreso Astral |
| French | Astral Express |
| Russian | Звёздный экспресс |
| Thai | Astral Express |
| Vietnamese | Đội Tàu Astral |
| German | Astralexpress |
| Indonesian | Astral Express |
| Portuguese | Expresso Astral |
Change History[]
- Added subarea:
- Astral Express was released with the following areas:
Notes[]
- ↑ Himeko directly contradicts her own statements when the Express first landed: her regular dialogue states that it crashed long before she was born, but after defeating Svarog in To Rot or to Burn, she states that it crashed on her birthday when she was hiking outdoors.
References[]
- ↑ Readable: Glimpses into the Beyond
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Parlor Car Dialogue: Himeko
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Windswept Wanderlust: An Invitation Without Proffer
- ↑ Trailblaze Mission, Farewell, Penacony: Stranger in a Strange Land
