This work aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the association between high‐ speed rail (HSR) operation and tourist arrivals in China. A panel data of 238 prefecture‐level cities from 2003 to 2013 is analyzed, using both system generalized method of moments estimation and synthetic control methods. Nationwide, HSR implementation generates sizable tourist inflows, with stronger effect for international arrivals than for domestic ones. Furthermore, heterogeneous HSR impacts are identified through the lens of urban agglomeration: (a) Connection with core cities is quintessential in channeling international customers to the hinterlands, and (b) national cores and hinterlands benefit prominently whereas regional cores lose from HSR accessibility.