China's rail freight volume rebounds

The volume of freight carried on China's railways has stopped declining due to a rebound in the economy and a reform in railway services, the national railway operator said on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the China Railway Corporation (CRC), 8.65 million tonnes of cargo were carried on rail tracks in the third quarter of 2013, up 4.8 percent year on year, or 3.3 percent more from the previous quarter.

Over 130,000 cars were loaded daily on average during the July-Sep. period, representing a 3.9-percent growth from the same period last year, or an increase of 3.2 percent from the second quarter.

Apart from improved macro-economic conditions, the CRC also attributed the change to a reform of the railway freight transportation service initiated since June.

The overhaul has helped to simplify previous procedures that customers were required to go through before getting the rail department to accept their cargo.

Customers can now enjoy various options that include calling the railway customer hotline, 12306, and getting door-to-door transportation service, according to the CRC.