First high-speed train allows pets to travel with owners

High-speed railway passengers in China can now travel with their pets starting Thursday, thanks to a pilot program launched by the country's railway operator.

The program, launched by China Railway Express on Tuesday, allows passengers and their furry companions to travel together on select high-speed trains along the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, creating a record for the country's rail system.

The first train allowing the pet-friendly service departed from Beijing South Railway Station at 09:24 on Thursday.

The pilot service is being tested on 10 train services running between five major stations, namely, Beijing South, Jinan West, Nanjing South, Shanghai Hongqiao, and Hangzhou East. Travelers can make reservations through the 12306 system, the railway ticket and service booking network, at least two days in advance.

The pet must be a domesticated cat or dog in good health, weighing no more than 15 kilograms and no taller than 40 centimeters at the shoulder. A valid animal health certificate is required for the owner to access the service.

The pet owner needs to book a spot for their cat or dog in a specially designed pet transport container equipped with sensors monitoring air circulation, oxygen, humidity, noise and odor.

Once on board, the animal is kept separately in a designated compartment, away from passenger seating areas.

"During the journey, our staff keep an eye on the animal through the monitoring system in the special pet container and conduct an inspection every two hours. We provide water to the pet as needed, but feeding is not permitted mid-journey," said Zhang Lei, a China Railway Express staff member, in an interview with China Central Television.

The service follows a "same departure, same arrival" policy, ensuring that pets and their owners depart and arrive at their destinations simultaneously.

Passengers are advised to arrive at the station a few hours before departure to complete the necessary check-in procedures. Pets can be collected within one hour after arrival, with pickup notifications sent via text message or phone call.

According to China Railway Express, the service is part of broader efforts to modernize the country's transportation infrastructure and meet the growing demand for pet-friendly travel options.

First high-speed train allows pets to travel with owners

The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that it is pausing immigrant visa processing from 75 countries.

The measure will apply to "countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people," the department said on X.

The pause impacts countries including Somalia, Haiti, Iran and Eritrea, "whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival," said the State Department.

Earlier on Wednesday, the department announced in a memo that it would suspend visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen, according to a Fox News report.

The pause will begin Jan. 21 and will continue indefinitely until the department conducts a reassessment of visa processing, the report said. The move came after the White House announced on Tuesday that it is ending temporary protected status for Somali immigrants amid fraud allegations in Minnesota.

On Monday, the State Department announced on social media that it had revoked over 100,000 visas since U.S. President Donald Trump took office nearly a year ago.

In November 2025, Trump announced his intention to permanently suspend immigration from what he described as "Third World countries", following the death of a National Guard member after being shot near the White House by an Afghan national.

U.S. freezes immigrant visa processing from 75 countries