A bullet train is seen in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, March 20, 2018. (Photo: VCG)

Passengers who bought train tickets before Thursday can get their tickets refunded for free – that's the latest policy announced by the China State Railway Group to help people cancel their trips amid escalating epidemic control pressure.

Starting Thursday, passengers can get tickets refunded, along with the insurance fee, at railway stations or via 12306, China's official railway ticket-booking platform, without being charged, the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

The measure aims to curb the risk of the novel coronavirus' spread during trips and reduce population mobility to further prevent and control the epidemic, it said.

North China's Hebei province reported 20 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 19 detected in the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang, and 43 asymptomatic carriers on Wednesday.