Helping hands ready to assist railway travelers

At Beijing's bustling Chaoyang Railway Station, former soldier Cao Yan leads a service team bearing her name, providing critical assistance in medical emergencies and offering support to passengers in need, along with ensuring their safe and efficient passage through the station.

In one recent case, a farmer from Chifeng in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region traveled to the capital after severing a finger while cutting feed for livestock. With only a three-hour window for reattachment surgery at a Beijing hospital, Cao and other station personnel coordinated a fast-track exit upon the train's arrival, saving crucial minutes en route to the operating room.

"The passenger, wearing what looked like work clothes, hadn't even changed. He had rushed to Beijing after being told there was a chance to save his finger. He carried an X-ray and had his severed finger wrapped in plastic," Cao said.

"We have handled several such cases, like when a stick hit a child in his eye or passengers went through organ transplant surgery and needed assistance at the station," said the 42-year-old.

When a train crew reports a critical case, Cao's team activates. They calculate the exact car position and plan the shortest path for a waiting ambulance to save precious minutes. Also, passengers can request assistance through the official 12306 online ticketing platform. Once submitted, the information is shared immediately with train crews and arrival stations to ensure a smooth transition.

To optimize assistance for the elderly and passengers with disabilities, Cao trained by pushing a colleague in a wheelchair dozens of times along key routes, timing each trip to learn the fastest route.

Emergencies aren't limited to people. Cao said trains occasionally need to be halted so her team can safely retrieve luggage that has fallen onto the tracks. She said she selects team members who demonstrate both efficiency and empathy.

"We look for good qualities like skill and attitude. For the elderly, sick or those feeling distressed, a gentle approach is part of our service. Our people need to be able to find compromises while not breaking strict safety rules," she said.

For example, in a situation where a 14-year-old was traveling alone for the first time, his parents were understandably worried and wished to accompany the boy to the platform.

"We need to empathize with concerned parents. However, regulations require us to maintain order and security, which means we can't allow anyone to accompany passengers to the platform," Cao said.

Instead, staff members escorted the child to his seat and then contacted his parents. "With large numbers of passengers daily, special cases frequently arise. Our job is to handle them, with all resources available," she said.

Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station links the capital with North and Northeast China. The station handled an average daily passenger volume of around 30,000 last year, according to station authorities.

Station employees help about 200 passengers requiring special assistance each day, Cao said. About 50 of them are medical patients, many traveling to Beijing for major treatment unavailable near their home. The team managing special assistance services at the station has expanded from six to 12 members over the past five years.

Cao joined the Beijing Railway Station in 2007 after retiring from the military, inspired by a childhood fascination with trains. She transferred to the Chaoyang station in 2021.

At the Beijing Railway Station, she was surrounded by colleagues who could recite complex train schedules, platforms, and connections from memory. When she tried to read the schedules on her own, she often ended up looking at the wrong line or the wrong time. She realized there was a gap between her and others.

Driven by a soldier's discipline, Cao dedicated herself to memorizing every detail of the operation. She stayed late and practiced until she knew the network flawlessly.

Her efforts paid off. In 2011 and 2012, her team won top honors twice in technical competitions, earning a reputation as a "living map". Cao's work rhythm is dictated by weather and passengers' needs, not the clock. Bad weather, a medical emergency, or a major holiday like Spring Festival, when travel demand peaks, can turn shifts into marathons. "The concept of 'off duty' only applies after the last passenger is safely on the train," she said, describing a reality where family dinners are often missed.

"Working in the railway means that when others are on vacation, we are at our busiest. When others are swamped with work, we might have a bit of a breather.

"I am very proud of the wide high-speed rail network. More people prefer taking high-speed trains since they're affordable, fast and safe," she said.