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China丨Railway offers discounts for senior riders

CHINADAILY · 公众号 · 时评 · 2025-03-18 10:47

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China has introduced a new policy granting significant discounts on railway travel for senior passengers as part of efforts to tap into the market potential of its rapidly growing elderly population, China State Railway Group announced on Monday.

On April 1, the railway operator will expand its loyalty program to offer increased reward points for passengers age 60 and older. While regular members earn points equal to five times the ticket price, senior members will now receive 15 times the fare amount in reward points. The accumulated points can be redeemed for train tickets, effectively providing substantial discounts.

For example, a senior member of the program who spends 1,000 yuan ($138) on train tickets will receive 15,000 points, which can be redeemed for tickets worth 150 yuan. In comparison, regular members will receive 5,000 points, equivalent to 50 yuan for ticket redemption.

▲ Two passengers take photos at a themed photo wall at Tianjin Railway Station on Saturday before a tourism train for seniors embarks on a 12-day journey to the south. Tong Yu/China News Service

The program is open to elderly passengers from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as foreigners with permanent residency in China. The benefits do not extend to international or special tourist trains, but the policy is expected to encourage more elderly individuals to take domestic rail trips.

The initiative is part of China's broader strategy to expand its "silver economy", recognizing the aging population as an economic opportunity rather than solely a social challenge. China had more than 310 million people age 60 and older at the end of last year, accounting for about 22 percent of the total population.

Growing demand for senior-friendly tourism services prompted the government to introduce an action plan for "silver-haired train service" last month. The plan was jointly released by nine government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce and China State Railway Group.

Features of new policy

The initiative aims to stimulate the senior tourism market, boost the silver economy and improve the quality of life for elderly residents. The railway operator has developed a three-year plan to establish more than 100 premium railway tourism routes and 160 tailored trains for senior passengers by 2028. The plan also calls for operating more than 2,500 tourism train services annually by then.

China丨Railway offers discounts for senior riders

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