Effective April 8, China Railway has launched, on a trial basis, high-speed rail pet transport services on 10 designated trains (G119/118, G121/122, G127, G134, G183/184, and G195/196) operating between Beijingnan (Beijing South), Jinanxi (Jinan West), Nanjingnan (Nanjing South), Shanghai Hongqiao, and Hangzhoudong (Hangzhou East) railway stations along the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway.

The 12306 Railway App has launched a "Pet Consignment" (宠物托运) feature, allowing every passenger to purchase tickets and book same-train pet transport services online at least two days in advance. Users can access the "Pet Consignment" portal on the "All Services" (全部应用) page within the App and follow step-by-step instructions to complete the reservation. Upon successful booking, a passenger may consign one domesticated cat or dog, provided the pet is in good health, weighs no more than 15 kilograms, and has a shoulder height under 40 centimeters.

After successfully booking, a passenger must arrive at the China Railway Express office of his/her departure station at the scheduled time before travel, accompanied by his/her pet. He/she should also bring the identity document used for ticket purchase, and a valid Animal Quarantine Certificate (动物检疫合格证明), to complete consignment procedures. Upon arrival at the destination station, the passenger may retrieve the pet by following the instructions given via SMS or phone.

Pets are housed in the dedicated consignment containers approved by China Railway and remain inaccessible to passengers throughout the journey. Staff workers will be assigned to conduct checks and provide water-feeding services at specified times. During the pilot phase, passengers booking tickets for the same trains and same routes can each receive a 30-percent discount on pet consignment fees. The current preferential fee for the Beijing-Shanghai route is CNY 460 per pet.

(Sources: China Tourism News, The Beijing News)