Starting last week, specifically on July 17th, 27 major high-speed railway stations across the country began offering EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) internet meal ordering services. From that day on, China's high-speed rail officially embraced the “take-out†era. Passengers traveling on high-speed trains, identified by their G and D prefixes, can now place orders via the 12306 website or mobile app. While the train's own dining car offerings remain available, popular social brands of food and beverages are also getting involved.
In truth, the dining situation on high-speed railways has long been a topic of debate. Despite numerous reports explaining the reasons behind the high prices and practices of on-board dining cars, passengers have generally found the monopoly of these services to be unacceptable. Consumers desire greater variety and choice. Thus, the introduction of high-speed rail take-out not only addresses passengers' dining needs but also introduces market competition to onboard meal services.
Naturally, there are questions about whether this new system will run smoothly and ensure timely deliveries. To address these concerns, I personally tried using the high-speed rail take-out service.
The app-based ordering process turned out to be surprisingly straightforward. The ultimate aim of online ordering is to cater to all passengers, not just tech-savvy users. Therefore, any overly complex operations would defeat the purpose. Is it truly user-friendly to book meals through an app or website? Opening the app or web client, you’ll easily locate the relevant page in a prominent spot. This shows that significant effort has been made to integrate this service into everyday use, rather than treating it as a mere gimmick.
In short, the entire ordering process is fairly intuitive. For those familiar with mobile ordering or app usage, the steps can be summarized as selecting your trip—choosing the station—picking a catering brand—filling out order details—and completing payment before waiting for your meal.
Once you’ve chosen your trip, the corresponding delivery station information will pop up. According to official announcements, not every high-speed rail station offers take-out services. Only Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Shenyang, Changchun, Wuhan, Jinan, and others were part of the initial launch. Unfortunately, Beijing South Railway Station wasn’t included, perhaps due to being a starting point for many trains or insufficient preparation. I believe more stations will join the program in the future.
Both Jinan West and Nanjing South stations on the Beijing-Hangzhou high-speed line support meal delivery, and the timing aligns with typical lunch hours. Based on my experience, it’s worth noting that meals are delivered directly to seats after the train stops at the station. However, there is still a window of time during which delivery might be delayed, although delays are relatively rare on high-speed trains. Hence, I recommend passengers with specific dining needs opt for earlier stops to avoid hunger while waiting.
Overall, the new take-out service represents a promising step forward, providing passengers with more options and enhancing convenience. Yet, as with any new system, there’s room for improvement. Let’s hope further developments will iron out any kinks and fully realize its potential.
Shaanxi Xinlong Metal Electro-mechanical Co., Ltd. , https://www.cnxlalloys.com