NEXT time you’re on the train, you might be left slightly confused by the train announcements.
Two stations in the UK have an English announcement confirming the next stop – followed by an announcement in Mandarin.
London Marylebone became the first train station in the UK to launch the Mandarin announcements.
Launched back in 2017, it was thought to be the first non-European language used by rail services (with French used on some Eurostar services).
This was due to the surge in Chinese tourists that use the station.
The reason for them using the station is to visit Bicester Village, a famous shopping outlet.
This station also has announcements in Mandarin, for passengers trying to get off at the shopping village.
According to the BBC, the attraction is the second-most visited hotspot by Chinese tourists, just behind Buckingham Palace.
One tourist explained it was because the “tax is higher in China” and had been planning her trip for two months.
And adverts for the discount outlet are often spotted on Chinese social media such as Weibo and WeChat.
Both stations also have announcements in Arabic as well.
And train operator Northern confirmed that British Sign Language was being rolled out on all of their trains.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”How to say Happy New Year in Chinese” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6294761645001″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]But its not just Bicester Village popular with Chinese tourists.
Stratford-Upon-Avon – the birthplace of Shakespeare – is so popular it has been recreated in a theme park in China.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D102608%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]Sewang in the city of Fuzhou – six hours from Shanghai – also celebrates two other writes along with Shakespeare.
Miguel de Cervantes from Spain and Tang Xianzu from China are also part of the theme park.
And if you fancy going to China yourself, it is getting even easier from the UK.
TUI opened its first three hotels in China last year, including TUI Blue Wusongkou Cruise Port, TUI BLUE Yangshuo Xiangheli and TUI Blue Taicang.
Artur Gerber, managing director of TUI Blue Hotels & Resorts, said: “Our rapid expansion in China and South-east Asia underscores the strong demand for the TUI Blue brand in these fast-growing travel markets.”
And privately-owned Chinese carrier Juneyao Air launched direct flights from Manchester to Shanghai last year, which operate three times a week.
Just don’t expect to be able to fly with BA as easily, with the airline scrapping its Beijing route last year.
And Virgin Atlantic scrapped flights from the UK to Shanghai just weeks before.
