China rail services: Major improvements for foreigners

China rail services: Major improvements for foreigners

According to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., China will provide foreigners with more convenient railway services, including easier online ticket purchasing and self-check-in.

Shizhao, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The move comes after the country decided to issue a new version of the Foreign Permanent Resident Identity Card starting Friday. The company said new card holders will enjoy the same online and self-service services as Chinese citizens.

Besides, the railway authority also launched an online identity verification service for foreign passport holders on Tuesday.

Previously, foreign passengers who purchased tickets on 12306.cn, China’s official train ticket booking website, had to present their passports at the station’s ticket counter to verify their identity information.