Travel getting easier - just ask the robots

Food couriers hand meals－which were ordered in advance－to railway attendants who will take them to passengers in their seats. The service has been available since July 17 at 27 major stations.[Photo by Zhang Xin/For China Daily]

A host of new services and facilities are expected to make railway passengers' experience more pleasant.

Products and services have been upgraded to benefit passengers, including online ticket purchasing, mobile payments, facial recognition for entering a station, easier transfers and onboard food ordering. All aim to satisfy diverse needs, according to China Railway Corp.

Robots have also been added to several large stations to answer passengers' questions and provide entertainment.

"When passengers have questions about how to buy tickets, how to change a date or find restaurants or a nearby parking lot, robots can provide the answers," said Li Yang, a staff member at Jinan West Railway Station in Shandong province.

The robots are amusing, too. "It's not so boring" to wait for trains anymore, Li said.

The latest move - allowing passengers on some bullet trains to order food online from restaurants and have it delivered to their seats - started on July 17.

The China Railway Corp ticket booking website and app allow users who intend to pass through selected stations to preorder meals, either from the train's catering service or from partner businesses, such as KFC.

Initially, the service will be available at 27 high-speed rail stations in 24 cities, mainly provincial capitals and major metropolises, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou and Nanjing.