Our Journey at Train Spread: A Story of Resilience and Growth
2012 – 2019: The Beginning of a New Era in Train Travel
Train Spread was founded in 2012 as one of the pioneers in the online China train ticket booking service. With the introduction of the Real-Names system on January 1, 2012, the landscape of train travel in China underwent a significant transformation. This new system allowed for secure online bookings, ensuring that passengers could safely track their tickets and reservations. Even if a traveler lost their paper ticket, their booking details could still be accessed online. We were there to support our customers every step of the way, sending their paper tickets directly to hotels across China to make their journey seamless and worry-free.
2020 – 2022: Navigating the Storm of COVID-19
Our business grew steadily over the years, providing travelers with reliable and convenient train ticket booking services. However, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges. The global tourism industry came to a halt, and in China, more than 50% of train services were suspended. As the world grappled with lockdowns and travel restrictions, we experienced a significant drop in demand. Our loyal customers canceled their travel plans, and we issued full refunds for all pre-booked tickets.
Despite China reopening its borders in mid-2022, the tourism recovery was slow, with foreign tourists largely restricted to business and study visits. Faced with this challenge, Train Spread made a strategic pivot. We expanded into the international travel market, offering day tours and experiences through Viator. While our train booking business faced hardship, this new venture allowed us to maintain operations and keep our team intact. We also uploaded these enriching day trips to our website, creating a win-win situation for both us and our customers.
2023 – Present: Rebirth and Recovery
In 2023, as China began to recover from the pandemic, we saw a gradual return of travelers to China. Key train routes were reopened, and in April, the Mainland reconnected with Hong Kong through high-speed rail, sparking a surge in tourism. This marked a turning point for Train Spread, as the demand for our services began to pick up once again.
With China’s introduction of a visa-free policy for citizens of 38 countries, the outlook for tourism in the region looks bright. We are optimistic about the future and anticipate that Chinese tourism will continue to experience rapid growth in 2025 and beyond. Train Spread is excited to continue serving travelers, both domestic and international, and to contribute to the growth of China’s tourism industry.
Meet The Family
Ivana Dai, Manager
Ivana is an experienced leader in the travel industry, known for her exceptional leadership skills and creative vision. Fluent in Spanish and English, she is the driving force behind our thoughtfully designed train routes and unforgettable travel experiences.
Vivi Chen, Customer Care of Trains Tickets Booking
Vivi specializes in assisting both individual and business travelers with tailored ticket booking solutions for trains, flights, hotels, attractions, and amusement parks. With extensive experience, she excels at providing expert travel advice, efficient solutions, and swift responses to emergencies, including ticket changes, cancellations, and e-ticket management.
Contact Vivi: vivi@trainspread.com
Vivian Cen, Product Manager
With over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, Vivian now serves as a Product Manager at Train Spread.
Passionate about sharing valuable insights and insider tips from her personal experiences, she excels at crafting tailored itineraries for every occasion—whether it’s a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or an adrenaline-fueled adventure. Vivian is dedicated to designing unique and captivating travel experiences that cater to diverse client needs and preferences.
Contact Vivian: vivian@chinatravel.com
Luo Ling Ling Web Designer
With over 10 years of experience in website design, Ling Ling specializes in creating user-friendly and visually engaging tour websites that beautifully highlight travel destinations.
She prioritizes accessibility, ensuring every website is responsive, mobile-friendly, and compatible across various browsers and devices. Ling Ling is dedicated to delivering an enjoyable and seamless browsing experience for all visitors.
Zhao Peng, Web Technical Support
Affectionately known as Uncle Zhao, he brings over 20 years of experience in website development, with a rich portfolio of projects in the tourism industry.
With expertise in programming languages and web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Uncle Zhao excels at building visually appealing, user-friendly, and responsive websites that enhance the online travel experience.
Fabio, Marketing
Fabio serves as the SEO specialist for Train Spread and our subsidiary websites. His expertise lies in increasing organic traffic, improving keyword rankings, and building high-quality backlinks through strategic outreach, guest posting, and partnerships with reputable sources.
Fabio is dedicated to driving brand awareness and ensuring sustainable long-term growth for our online tour products.