Take-out food now available on bullet trains

As of July 17, 27 high speed train stations are providing food ordering service to their bullet and high-speed train passengers.

Delivery courier gives ordered food to the staff of the 12306 distribution center. [Photo/ifore.com.cn]

A passenger receives food from a train staff member. [Photo/ifore.com.cn]

Passengers: It's so convenient for us to order fast food on bullet trains.

Chang and his colleagues took train G1276 from Shenyang to Zhengzhou at 11.30 on July 17."My friend told me that an ordering service is available on bullet trains. I used to eat fast noodles on trains when I was on business. Today, I ordered food from KFC on the 12306 app. When I arrived in Tianjin West Railway Station, I got the food. It's so convenient," he said. The 12306 app was created by China's Ministry of Railways to provide take-out food from a list of restaurants at different high speed train stations. Passengers must order food two hours before the train arrives at their station. They also need to pay delivery fees.

Deliverer: The app's delivery couriers wait for trains on the platform and hand over the food to the train's staff.

Couriers from the 12306 distribution deliver food to train staff. [Photo/ifore.com.cn]

At this time there are only three restaurants in Tianjin west station providing take-out service. They are required to send ordered food to the 12306 distribution center 40 minutes before the train arrives. The distribution center staff sends the food to the platform within 20 minutes to be given to train workers who then pass it on to the hungry passengers.

Restaurants: The prices for take-out food are the same as those for eat-in food and some dishes are discounted.

The 12306 distribution center in Tianjin West Railway Station. [Photo/ifore.com.cn]

All food prices are the same as for eat-in food. Because it is a new service, some foods are slightly discounted. From July 17, bullet train and high speed railway passengers have been able to place orders on the 12306 app. There are 27 pilot high speed train stations providing the ordering service, including Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Xi'an, Shenyang, Changchun, Wuhan, Jinan, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing and Lanzhou.

If passengers encounter problems with the take-out food, they can complain on the 12306 website.

Staff members from the 12306 Distribution Center wait for trains on a station platform. [Photo/ifore.com.cn]