Bullet trains sell naming rights in market reform  

动车组冠名市场化 “和谐号”或将陆续被取代

近日，陆续有福建网友爆料称，原来的“和谐号”动车组陆续更名，有的变成了“中国联通号”，大呼“神奇”。记者11日从铁路部门获悉，动车组被冠名确有其事，这是铁路部门为推进走向市场的创新举措。[查看全文]

Zhangzhou (ECNS) – "Hexie Hao" (meaning "harmony"), which is the designation for trains operated by the China Railway High-speed (CRH) service, may disappear in the near future as China Railway is selling naming rights of trains.

An online post revealed that high-speed train D6405, from Fuzhou to Longyan in Fujian province, was named "China Unicom," which has sparked discussion among netizens.

Nanchang Railway Bureau, which is in charge of trains in Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, confirmed the name, saying the naming right for D6405 was sold to Fujian branch of China Unicom.

The bureau said selling trains' naming rights is a great step in China's rail reform, and it planned to sell naming rights for all of its trains, regular trains included, by the end of the year.

Nanchang Railway Bureau is not the only one selling naming rights to companies. Other bureaus, such as those in Beijing, Shenyang and Chengdu, also have seen commercially named high-speed trains.

China Rail has been conducting market reform to address its high debt and improve the country's massive railway network.