(Yicai Global) Sept. 8 -- Chinese in-train service platform, Lvtu Diandian, has secured CNY20 million in strategic investment from Shanghai Donggao Industrial Co.

Most funds will go to research and development, recruiting and marketing and routine expenses, 36kr.com reported Sept. 6.

Chinese travelers made 2.77 billion rail trips last year, China Railway Corp. statistics show. The railroad industry has enormous potential, and Lvtu Diandian wants to break into this huge market by making train travel more enjoyable. Passengers can use the Lvtu Diandian app to order food, buy souvenirs or use the Charge Pal shared charging pack service.

The company also develops back-end services and systems free of charge for high-speed rail catering businesses.

It has identified consumer service and mobile payment as its entry points, and will expand its businesses to cover train services, hotel and ticket booking, entertainment and social media, the firm's chief operations officer Yang Jianjun noted. Lvtu Diandian also plans to provide railway transport businesses with supporting systems and Big Data services.

Lvtu Diandian is operated by Hangzhou Tianluo Technology Co., an innovative internet firm specializing in rail passenger transport services. Its services are available on more than 1,000 high-speed trains across China, outranking all its rivals. It provides services in partnership with railway bureaus in Wuhan, Beijing, Fuzhou, Nanning and Xian.