Railway passengers will no longer be charged cancellation fees as of Dec 3, if they cancel booked seats 15 days before their departure date, according to the officials.

Tickets for train services during the Spring Festival holiday season will be released for sale on Dec 7. People can buy tickets as of Feb 4, the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush, two months in advance.

Under new rules, people can change their trains freely 48 hours before departure. If within 48 hours, they can still choose any train that departs between the time they request a change and midnight of their original departure date. Those who miss their trains are allowed to take other trains on the same day.

Group tickets for students can be purchased online from Dec 5 to 20, the officials added.

In addition, train tickets for the New Year's holiday during Jan 1 to 6 can be booked online since Dec 1.