China offers joined-up rail ticketing to belt and road countries

• China has developed an all-in-one train ticketing system that can unite the widely different ticket selling platforms in more than 140 countries on a smartphone app, according to the top national rail science academy.
• The system has been tailor-made for member countries of China’s Belt and Road Initiative – the world’s largest infrastructure investment campaign launched in 2013 – and will automatically access and coordinate their ticket selling platforms.
• Laos, in the heart of Southeast Asia, is the first country to sign up to the platform, with travellers using their smartphones to book tickets from 15 Mar.
• Instead of the USD, the belt and road ticket machine will use Swiss francs as its standard currency for international exchange.
• The move would significantly reduce transport and travel costs as well as speed up economic development and deepen China’s ties with the region.

External Link : https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3214757/china-offers-joined-rail-ticketing-belt-and-road-countries