Across China: International students volunteer during "chunyun", marvel at convenience of high-speed rail

LANZHOU, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- As the Spring Festival approaches, the hustle and bustle of passengers at a railway station in northwest China's Gansu Province exactly epitomizes the annual Chinese Lunar New Year holiday travel rush, also known as chunyun.

Unlike previous years, staff members of the Lanzhou West Railway Station are joined by foreign student volunteers, who help passengers carry luggage, assist with security checks and provide inquiry services, adding a unique and festive touch to the season.

Twenty-four-year-old Afghan student Kazimi Jafar arrived at the station early in the morning, donned a railway uniform and guided passengers into the station.

"Spring Festival is a precious time for family reunions and expressing blessings. People here respect traditional festivals and customs. Just like my family, we all value emotional connections and cherish every moment with family and friends," said Jafar.

Jafar is one of the 10 international students from Lanzhou University, including those from Kenya, Chad, Laos, Afghanistan and Madagascar, who are volunteering during chunyun and experiencing Chinese Spring Festival travel rush first-hand.

"Please line up! Ticket checking will start soon," said Rojolalaina Karina Lucette from Madagascar in fluent Mandarin.

Although she has lived in China for five years and is very familiar with Chinese holidays, she was still amazed by the scale of the travel rush.

"In my island nation, people mostly travel by private cars or buses. It's incredible how China facilitates such large-scale population movement in such a short time," she said, adding that she felt proud to be part of this effort.

Another Afghan student Ali Reza Rezaie was impressed by the technology powering China's transport system.

After visiting the train driver's cabin and the control center at Lanzhou Railway Bureau, he marveled at the precise handling of over 200,000 passengers departing from the station daily during chunyun.

The scale of China's transport system wasn't the only surprise for the volunteers.

Orlaphan Sayphaungphet from Laos was amazed at the efficiency of China's ticketing system. She sold a ticket to a passenger in less than 30 seconds and was pleased to learn foreigners could register for tickets without extra fees.

China's well-developed railway system also reminded her of the convenience that railways built with China's help have brought to her own country.

Sayphaungphet noted that the China-Laos Railway has brought her hometown closer to China, allowing her family and friends to experience the comfort of China's high-speed rail.

She appreciated thoughtful features onboard, such as accessible restrooms and baby-care facilities, and expressed her excitement at riding the train herself and exploring more of China.

Her opinion was echoed by Ngaira Sylvia Indoshi from Kenya, who also volunteered to assist passengers at the station.

Before coming to study in Lanzhou, she often traveled by train between Mombasa and Nairobi thanks to the Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi railway.

"Before the railway was built, the journey took eight hours by car, but now it takes just half the time," she said. Upon learning that China's high-speed trains can reach a speed of 350 kilometers per hour, she expressed hope for similar advancements in Kenya.

With an estimated record 9 billion passenger trips in 40 days, the 2025 Spring Festival travel rush is set to serve as a testament to China's impressive ability to withstand overwhelming traffic pressure.

China's high-speed railways, which provided the majority of railway passenger trips in 2024, are preparing for another record-breaking season.

As of 9 a.m. Saturday, 12306, the railway booking platform, had sold 311 million tickets since Dec. 31, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

China's 48,000 km of operational high-speed rail, the world's longest, is continually expanding, with new routes running near or through populous cities in a bid to provide more and faster travel options.

"What I have experienced today is very different from my previous impression of chunyun. The high-speed trains offer great convenience to people's travels, and I did not feel crowded at all. I am glad to be part of it," said Jafar. ■