Reforms make train travel easier

SOME PASSENGERS prefer window seats on planes and trains, others aisle seats. As of Thursday, people booking train tickets online can specify which they prefer. The system will also recommend transfers to those who need to change trains so passengers can buy all the necessary tickets at the same time. Fawan.com comments:

For a long time passengers could only get a seat randomly selected by the system. As a result, certain passengers return the tickets and keep buying a ticket until they get a seat they want. That not only wastes resources, but also brings inconvenience to other passengers buying tickets online.

Besides, in the past when passengers needed to transfer from one train to another, they had to buy the tickets separately. During holidays when tickets were scarce, they often found that tickets for the second part of the trip were already sold out when they finished buying a ticket for the first part. Now, they can purchase all the tickets they require at the same time.

These are only the two latest measures introduced to make train travel more convenient. Actually, since the railway sector accelerated market-oriented reform by turning the former ministry responsible for the railways into China Railway Corporation in 2013, services have continually improved.

Of course, there is still more to be done. For example, some propose allowing passengers to select specific seats as people can do when taking flights. But more measures are expected to be introduced to further benefit passengers.