Alipay to Invest USD15 Million to Encourage Users to Take Low-Carbon Transport
Zhang Xia
DATE:  Nov 01 2017
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
Alipay to Invest USD15 Million to Encourage Users to Take Low-Carbon Transport Alipay to Invest USD15 Million to Encourage Users to Take Low-Carbon Transport

(Yicai Global) Nov. 1 -- The only website authorized to sell train tickets in China, 12306.cn, began accepting Alipay payments four years ago, the third-party payment provider said recently, adding users buying tickets on the site have been indirectly contributing to environmental protection.

The platform, part of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. [NYSE:BABA], also plans to invest a further CNY100 million (USD15.12 million) to encourage low-carbon transport.

Through ticket transactions on 12306.cn, Alipay users have contributed the equivalent to planting three million haloxylon trees in the desert, the company said.  The firm will invest more over the next two months to incentivize users to take low-carbon transport options, such as trains, buses and shared bikes.

Alipay users can also contribute to environmental protection through online payments, and can donate trees to deserts under their own name if their contribution reaches a certain level. Alipay and its partners will help plant the trees.

The platform became 12306.cn's first third-party payment provider in 2013, and has helped promote consumers' credit-based consumption and credit accumulation.

Buying tickets on Alipay saves at least one hour when compared with buying at ticket offices, said Jue Qian, general manager of the platform's transport service unit. Alipay has saved its users billions of hours over the past four years, he added, saying the platform will continually optimize its payment platform to help improve travelers' experiences this year.

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Keywords:   Alipay,Low-Carbon Transport,Environmental Protection,12306.cn