China's railway sector will concentrate on improving its service this year, Chinese Railway Minister Fu Zhihuan announced in Beijing on Thursday.

China will promote the "Year of Good Train Service" this year throughout the entire railway system, focusing mainly on ensuring orderly and safe railway stations, and improving railway facilities, the railway environment and ticket and travel services, said sources with the Ministry of Railways.

According to the ministry, at least 95 percent of trains will leave and arrive on time, with 98 percent of express trains leaving and arriving on time. All trains will maintain a constant temperature, winter and summer.

In addition, clean bedding will be provided in all classes of travel for every journey. The ministry will check all charges to ensure they are fair and there are no illegal charges.

The service improvement blitz in the railways system will be divided into three phases, with the spring season transport as the first phase. During the 40-day travel peak from January 28 to March 8, the ministry will take steps to improve its service and control the problem of overloading.

The second phase starts from March 8 to October, which is the right time for the ministry to treat the problems influencing train service.

The last two months of this year will be the third phase, a time for the ministry to check the quality of this year's service.

( Janaury 18, 2002 )