Multimedia information and Internet access will be available on most Chinese trains in the coming years as high-tech information systems are installed.

The Beijing Railways Bureau said Wednesday that the bureau has started a trial operation of such systems in several of its railways.

According to the bureau, modern information systems, including a multimedia terminals and LAN Internet service, have already been installed on a group of trains running on over 30 railways.

Information systems were listed as a key project launched by the Ministry of Railways and Tsinghua University.

Tsinghua University and Beijing-based Shenzhou Yipin technology company have jointly founded an institute on the study of media information which will focus on China's railway system.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2006)