Starting Tuesday, China State Railway Group will launch a pilot "bicycle carry-on" service on G-series trains running between Beijing North Station and Chongli, North China's Hebei Province on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway, the company's passenger transport center announced on Monday.

The service aims to better meet diverse travel needs, particularly for cycling enthusiasts. Passengers can reserve and pay for the service via the 12306 mobile app, the state railway operator said in a press release sent to the Global Times on Monday.

The pilot price is 88 yuan ($12.92) per bicycle. Reservations can be made until departure, and cancellations with a full refund are allowed up to one hour before departure.

Selected second-class carriages have been modified with designated bicycle storage areas. Dedicated security channels are also set up at stations along the route. Travelers are required to remove the front wheel and properly pack the bicycle. Railway staff provide tools and reusable bike bags at no extra cost.

A railway official noted that each train has limited bicycle capacity, so early booking is advised. During the journey, railway staff will monitor safety. After the pilot phase, the railway will consider expanding the service based on passengers' feedback.

The service builds on experiences of the ski gear storage service previously introduced on trains serving the route to Chongli, which is a ski resort some 200 kilometers northwest of Beijing and co-host venue of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

As summer approaches and snow gives way to dirt, the Chongli area is also becoming a popular destination for mountain bikers, according to media reports.

The move by the state railway operator closely followed that of the Beijing subway, which launched a pilot service on May 10 that allows passengers to bring bicycles onto the subway train, as the number of cycling enthusiasts and demand for cross-district rides grow in the capital.