Bulky luggage delivery service launched for lunar new year trains in China

To help customers experience "light travel," China's railway company has introduced a luggage pickup and delivery service from home to station.

Cheng Yu, wearing a light backpack, left his home for the station.

China Railway Express Company launched its "light travel" service in mid-January, covering 111 stations across the country's major cities. This initiative aims to ease the burden on travelers during the busy Lunar New Year period. Customers can book the service via an application, and delivery staff will pick up luggage from their homes, delivering it to the departure station or directly to the destination station.

The service operates through a partnership between the railway company and various transport companies. Ren Xihua, deputy general manager of the Jinan branch of China Railway Express Company, stated that passengers can book the service on the 12306 application or through the company's WeChat account. Service fees are 68 yuan per item for luggage delivered to the station's security gate and 98 yuan per item for delivery to the platform. Customers can book the service from 48 hours to 4 hours before their train's scheduled departure.

He used a public bicycle to reach Wenshui Elevated Subway Station, then took the subway to Shanghai South High-Speed Railway Station.

This service offers a new convenience for travelers like Cheng Yu, originally from Wuhan, Hubei province, who has been living and working in Shanghai since 2023. Thanks to this new option, this year marks his first time experiencing a light, unburdened journey home for Lunar New Year.

On the morning of February 2, Cheng Yu handed over his luggage to a delivery staff member at his Shanghai residence. With his luggage taken care of, he was free to travel lightly.

Upon arrival at Shanghai South Station, he received a call from the delivery staff in the waiting hall.

Cheng Yu's luggage was transported to Shanghai South Railway Station while he made his own way.

Cheng Yu verified his luggage information with the staff member.

Service staff placed Cheng Yu's luggage into the storage compartment on the train car.

When the train arrived at Hankou Station in Wuhan, service staff retrieved the luggage and re-confirmed the home delivery details with Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu disembarked from the train, leaving Hankou Station to go home.

"Without the heavy suitcase, I feel more relaxed," Cheng Yu said while chatting with his relatives at home.

The luggage was then delivered directly to his home in Wuhan, completing his seamless journey.

Guo Yi, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at Chongqing University, observed that "Spring Festival travel" in China is typically characterized by heavy suitcases, bulky bags, crowded platforms, and tired faces. He suggested that this new service reflects significant societal changes in China. These include an aging population unable to carry heavy loads, many families traveling with young children, and a growing middle class that increasingly prioritizes comfort and convenience.