China will promote nationwide E-ticket services for high-speed lines in 2019, the China Railway Corporation announced at a recent industry forum, Chinayouth.com reported on July 15.

With no need for a paper ticket, the e-ticket service will enable passengers to enter or exit the station by simply swiping their mobile phone or ID card.

The technology is already commonplace when taking the subway or bus in China. However, when it comes to high-speed rail, swiping an ID card to board is currently only available across certain stations and lines in a handful of larger Chinese cities.

The e-ticket services will begin trialing at a number of pilot stations during this year's fourth quarter, according to the Wuhan Railway Bureau, with the service spreading all over China next year.

From the 1940s, train tickets in China have evolved, going through several different stages as technologies advanced. Now, the country is moving into an era of paperless ticketing.