Kids' corner brings smiles to young passengers

Compassionate measure

The travel rush, which began on Jan 26 and will end on March 5, is expected to see 9 billion trips, with a total of 480 million railway trips expected to be made.

The expanding railway network and reasonable ticket prices have led to an increasing number of people choosing to travel by rail in China.

By the end of last year, China's railway network extended to 159,000 km, with 45,000 km of high-speed railway.

The handling of young travelers onboard trains has been widely discussed in China in recent years.

Many people have complained about children's disruptive behaviors onboard, including kicking the seats and making noise, while others have argued to be more tolerant of young travelers.

Conflicts, even fights, have been reported between parents and passengers without children.

"We hope the measure can also serve as a testament to the evolving landscape of railway services, catering to the diverse needs of passengers, including families with young children and passengers without children," said Ran Hui, an official from the passenger service department of China Railway Nanning Group, which introduced the children's corner.

While the initiative has been well-received, challenges remain, particularly concerning space limitations and accommodating all interested young passengers.

"At first, we broadcast the children's corner to all passengers. Children and parents flocked to the dining car, but due to the limited space, some of them could not participate in the games and the children were pretty upset. Now we've canceled the broadcast and informed passengers with children randomly. I hope we can find a balance to invite more young travelers to our activity," train conductor Dong said.

Contact the writer at luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn