Pets allowed on high-speed railway trains

Trial program lets passengers book space for cats, dogs on some routes

China's railway operator on Tuesday launched a pilot program allowing pets to travel on select high-speed trains along the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, marking a first for the country's rail system.

The trial service, introduced by China Railway Express Co, enables passengers to book a spot for their cat or dog in a specially designed pet transport container aboard the same train. However, animals are housed separately in a designated logistics compartment, away from passenger seating areas.

The pilot service is being tested on 10 train services running between five major stations: Beijing South, Jinan West, Nanjing South, Shanghai Hongqiao and Hangzhou East. Travelers can make reservations through the 12306 system, the railway ticket and service booking network, at least two days in advance.