In an attempt to better regulate and unify English translations of the country's railway stations, pinyin will replace English for station names that have place names and directions, according to the Ministry of Railways.

Beijing Nan Railway Station, for example, will replace Beijing South Railway Station, said Wang Bin, the ministry's publicity officer.

"As an intrinsic part of the railway station name, it is for the convenience of foreign friends and for natives that the direction be in pinyin," Bin said.

According to the ministry, the change has been in effect since Sept 1, but changing the names of local railway stops is still ongoing.

In addition to the signs and indicators of the railway stops, the names on the railway tickets will be changed too, the ministry said.