Travelers wait to board high-speed bullet trains at the Hangzhou East Railway Station on May 5, 2026, the last day of the May Day holidays. Photo: VCG

China State Railway Group Co, the national railway operator, has announced significant discounts on tickets for elderly travelers, as part of initiatives to not only provide elderly passengers with more affordable and convenient train travel, but also activate new consumption scenarios for senior citizens. 

Analysts said that China State Railway Group's moves are emblematic of China's broader strategy to improve elderly care, expand age-friendly preferential services for senior citizens, and boost the silver economy amid a rapidly growing elderly population.

According to a statement posted on the WeChat account of China State Railway Group, passengers aged 60 and above will be able to enjoy discounted fares on certain high-speed trains during weekday off-peak periods from May 29 to June 30, excluding the Dragon Boat Festival holiday travel period from June 18 to 22.

These tickets will be sold at a 10 percent discount, and sales start on Friday.

The program is open to eligible passengers from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and foreigners with permanent residency in China, as well as senior travelers using valid identification documents, including travel permits for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents, temporary ID certificates and household registration books, said the railway operator.

The railway operator will also expand its loyalty program to offer increased reward points for passengers age 60 and older. Senior members will now receive three times the fare amount in reward points compared with regular members. The accumulated points can be redeemed for train tickets or seat upgrades.

Previously, China State Railway Group has also expanded its "silver-haired tourism trains," which are designed primarily for older travelers, with upgraded facilities, carefully planned routes and cultural activities tailored to senior passengers.

"The series of age-friendly preferential service measures launched by the railway department will not only allow elderly passengers to enjoy more benefits and convenience when traveling by train, but will also activate new consumption scenarios for elderly population," the railway operator said in the WeChat post. 

The new program was warmly welcomed by many elderly travelers, who said that the discounts and added benefits will make train travel more affordable and convenient. A 64-year-old passenger surnamed Wu, who is scheduled to depart from Beijing on May 31, said that she was pleased to learn about the new policy. 

"I think this is a very thoughtful measure. It not only helps reduce travel costs for older people like us, but also makes it easier for us to travel more often and with less worry," Wu told the Global Times on Thursday. 

As of the end of 2025, the country had more than 323 million people aged 60 and above, accounting for about 23 percent of the population, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.

The various eldercare initiatives are part of the country's broader strategy to not only improve the quality of life for senior citizens, but also develop the silver economy by turning demographic aging into a development opportunity, Li Changan, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies under the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Thursday.

It has been estimated that China's silver economy is worth about 7 trillion yuan ($1.03 trillion). By 2035, it could reach 30 trillion yuan and account for 10 percent of the country's GDP, the Xinhua News Agency reported in November 2025.

According to Xinhua, nine Chinese government agencies and state-owned enterprises in February last year unveiled an action plan to expand and improve senior-friendly tourism train services, in a bid to create more inclusive and enjoyable travel experiences for the elderly.

The initiative aimed to enrich the tourism market, promote services consumption and cater to the growing demand for elderly-friendly travel options. It plans to create a nationwide network of specialized trains catering to older travelers by 2027, with more than 100 designed routes and 2,500 scheduled trips annually, said the Xinhua report.