High-speed rail delivery service too pricey, customers say  

The delivery delivery services via high-speed rail are provided from Tuesday in 20 pilots cities by China Railway Express. (Photo source: Xinhua News Agency)

(ECNS) – On Tuesday, China Railway Express started providing delivery services via high-speed rail in 20 pilot cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin, and Xi'an, according to China National Radio (CNR).

A package weighing no more than one kilogram costs 130 yuan ($20.93) for same-day delivery service, and 25 yuan ($4) will be added for each additional kilogram.

For overnight delivery, to be delivered by 11 am the next day, the charge is 18 yuan ($2.89) for the first kilogram, and 11 yuan ($1.77) for each additional kilo.

The cheapest one-day delivery option is 17 yuan ($2.74) for the first kilo and 10 yuan ($1.61) for each additional kilo, and they'll be delivered by 6pm the next day.

Customers are stunned by the sky-high costs of same-day delivery service. One customer said he would buy a train ticket and deliver the package himself rather than use the service. Another said the price was unreasonable.

A staffer at the express company explained that a package for same-day service generally would require an exclusive courier to make the delivery door-to-door, increasing the labor cost substantially.

Compared to same-day service, some citizens said, fees for the overnight and one-day delivery service were much more reasonable.