Tickets for regular-speed trains going paperless

Railway passengers across China will wave goodbye to paper tickets as the country allows people traveling on normal-speed trains to use electronic tickets, according to the country's railway operator.

Starting on Saturday, the e-ticket system, which was previously limited to high-speed and intercity railways, will be promoted on rail lines running at normal speed, with over 1,300 such stations involved in the new arrangement, the China State Railway Group said on Wednesday.

Normal-speed trains play a vital role in railway transport and also serve as an important choice for passengers, handling over one-third of all railway passenger trips annually, the company said.