Trains need better service to go with the faster speeds

A train attendant wearing the traditional clothing of the Miao ethnic group serves passengers on the Guiyang-Guangzhou high-speed railway in December. Cao Ning / For China Daily

A passenger from Jiangsu province complained he was "forced to drink" a cup of tea priced 88 yuan ($14) when he seated himself in the dining car of a high-speed train from Beijing to Nanjing, which sparked a heated online debate. Comments:

While railways are still a public resource in short supply and not yet completely operating in accordance with market forces, the railway authorities should still have the fundamental awareness that they are providing a public service.

Legal Evening News, Sept 1

Dining carriages are intended to meet the demands of those passengers wanting something to eat during their trip. They are not a seating alternative for passengers who bought standing-only tickets, although they too can use them to consume food. If such a practice is allowed and even encouraged, it will not only bring inconvenience to those wanting to eat but unable to find a seat, it will also turn the dining carriage into an ordinary carriage, which would breach the train's safety regulations.

nen.com.cn, Sept 1

It is necessary for China Railways to improve its management system by, for example, not only regulating the practice of selling over-priced drinks in dining carriages, but also perfecting its complaints handling mechanism. The rapid development of China's railways is definitely a good thing, but that should mean more than simply expanding the network and shortening journey times. It also means sufficient attention should be given to elevating the service quality and safeguarding passenger's legitimate rights and interests.

Legal Daily, Sept 1

(China Daily 09/03/2015 page8)