STORY: Savoring delicacies on high-speed train amid Spring Festival travel rush
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Jan. 29, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:03
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Beijing West Railway Station
2. various of hot-chain food
3. STANDUP 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
4. STANDUP 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
5. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): FENG WEI, Head chef, Jingtie Hotel, China Railway Travel Service Group Co., Ltd.
6. STANDUP 3 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
7. STANDUP 4 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
8. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Train Attendant
9. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): Ms. QIN, Passenger
10. STANDUP 5 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
11. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): TIAN CHUNLIN, Deputy general manager, China Railway Travel Service Group Co., Ltd.
12. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): TIAN CHUNLIN, Deputy general manager, China Railway Travel Service Group Co., Ltd.

STORYLINE:

STANDUP 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Hello, welcome to Sunny's Spotlight.
China's annual Spring Festival travel rush has just begun. The 40-day travel rush will see hundreds of millions of people hop onto bustling trains or other vehicles to return to their hometowns and reunite with families.
Today, at the Beijing West Railway Station, I'll explore how innovative services on high-speed trains warm travelers' 'stomachs' amid the homeward journey."

Savoring delicacies on high-speed train amid Spring Festival travel rush

STANDUP 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"We're in a kitchen of Jingtie Hotel which is located near the Beijing West Railway Station.
In just a few moments, passengers departing from the station will have the pleasure of indulging in these freshly cooked meals."

The head of the culinary team, Feng Wei, told me that this year marks their first year of providing hot-chain meal services for travelers during the Spring Festival travel rush.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): FENG WEI, Head chef, Jingtie Hotel, China Railway Travel Service Group Co., Ltd.
"We have prepared hot-chain meal sets that are characteristic of Beijing. In our hot-chain meals, we have taken into account both the insulated food storage and the appearance of the dishes. Inside the insulated delivery boxes, there are heating plates that keep the dishes warm. To ensure the appearance of the dishes, for the vegetables to remain green after delivery, we have also put in a lot of efforts. Our goal is to ensure that travelers enjoy delicious meals during the journey, making their trip back home more enjoyable and comfortable."

STANDUP 3 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Delivery team in position. Follow me to find out how the food is delivered from the kitchen to passengers through the 'hot chain.' Timing begins."

Throughout the whole process, the meals are sealed inside an insulated delivery box, with a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius.
This ensures both the texture and the safety of the food.

STANDUP 4 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"We've just arrived at the distribution center and the platform is just over there. My clock shows 3 minutes."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Train Attendant
"Hello, ma'am, welcome aboard. Here are the Sauteed Meat Balls with Brown Sauce prepared for you. Please enjoy your meal."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): Ms. QIN, Passenger
"Just now I heard a train attendant saying that the hot-chain meals are freshly prepared by chefs, with fresh ingredients and great taste, so I decided to buy one and give it a try. The temperature is just right, quite warm, and it's very delicious. It's almost like dining in a restaurant. It felt as if I had arrived home in advance, and it warmed my heart."

STANDUP 5 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"On high-speed trains, due to safety concerns, cooking with an open flame is restricted.
In addition to the emerging "hot chain" dishes, sealed boxed meals are more commonly served here."

The cold-chain meals offered on high-speed trains are produced following standardized, hygienic practices.

They are transported under strict cold-chain conditions, maintained below 10 degrees Celsius, and subsequently heated to above 70 degrees Celsius on board for optimal freshness and taste. Additionally, for maximum safety, any meals produced more than 72 hours ago are removed to ensure the highest quality standards.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): TIAN CHUNLIN, Deputy general manager, China Railway Travel Service Group Co., Ltd.
"During the Spring Festival travel rush, to provide passengers with more meal options, our China Railway Travel Service Group has developed three new meal packages of different price levels. We now have 7 cold-chain meal options. This provides passengers with a range of options, including high, medium, and low prices, allowing them to make selections based on their preferences and individual needs."

Over the years, the meals are constantly being upgraded.
In addition to nutritious Chinese cuisine, freshly baked pizzas are also provided on some routes.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): TIAN CHUNLIN, Deputy general manager, China Railway Travel Service Group Co., Ltd.
"The innovation in our catering service this time also reflects the growing demand of passengers for high-quality travel services. We will continue to innovate our services to enhance the travel experience for our passengers."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)