Train ticket prices will continue to be set and guided by the government even after the restructuring that handed the railway operation to the newly established China Railway Corporation, said a senior official with the National Development and Reform Commission.

Cao Changqing, director of the pricing department of the NDRC, made the remarks in response to public concern that the recent restructuring that dismantled the railway ministry will cause train ticket prices to rise.

In the past week, a number of railway industry insiders voiced concerns that prices would rise.

The country’s passenger train tickets have remained unchanged for years to allow the public to travel cheaply. Before the restructuring, prices were set or guided by the central government.

Cao was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying on Friday that the pricing mechanism of train tickets will not change after the restructuring.

He said that the government is very cautious when it comes to adjusting the prices of train tickets, and will take into consideration factors such as the needs of railway construction and operation, and the public’s acceptability.

Hearings will be organized in accordance with regulations when adjusting the basic fare for railway passenger transport, he said.