Trains prove a strain for foreigners

Rail companies need to improve the service they offer to foreign travelers, an expert has said ahead of this year's Spring Festival rush.

Support services for foreigners, including ticket sales and ID checks, need to be upgraded to match China's rising status on the world stage, said Yang Hao, a professor in rail transportation management at Beijing Jiaotong University.

The difficulties involved in purchasing and picking up tickets lie in an unfriendly booking system, proving that railways are not run commercially as if in an open market, said Yang.