Although David Feng has not worked for even a single day as a full, formal member or employee of any railway company or other such entity anywhere in the world, he’s active as an independent professional in the rail community, and his engagements are global.
Global Talks about Railways
He has keynoted TEDx and regional railway events, and given talks in English and Chinese about railways in the world, especially Switzerland and China, but also other places such as Laos to audiences at trade shows, academic institutions, in person and remotely, to those in Switzerland, China, the UK, and Australia.
Most recent talks:
- 07.06.2024 (Shanghai, China): The Full 350: High Speed Rail and What It Means for China (Shanghai Savage Club)
- 24.05.2024 (Luzern, Switzerland, remotely): Fast Tracking Life: High Speed Rail in China (China Switzerland Connection)
- 14.11.2023 (Beijing, China): China-Laos railway talk (Modern Railways Expo)
Switzerland & China Rail Projects
Everyday Rail English, Everyday Metro English | What started 10 years ago as providing bilingual formal service cards has in the meantime become a formalised standard setting mechanism that has gone nationwide. Staff menus, training sessions, and new norms have all encompassed new standards set by David in his Everyday Rail English and Everyday Metro English campaigns.
David Feng has been professionally involved with the railways by devising new norms and standards for passenger rail services in English for China. This includes being a member of highly authoritative language committees in the City of Beijing.
As David transitions from China to Europe, he will continue developing the current bilingual system so as to support more European languages, as well as for “reverse use” from Chinese to English, so to accommodate an expected rise in Mandarin-speaking patronage which may happen a few years after the global end of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visions for the Chinese Railways | Both at the time of major rail reforms in 2013, as well as when Beijing focused on “high-quality development” in 2024 and later, David independently authored two sets of 100 suggestions (each) and presented it to the railways. Especially for the 2013 set of suggestions, most have been realised, either partially or in full.
Worldwide Visibility
David Feng is one of the most visible voices on the railways of China. He’s been featured globally both in Western mainstream media, as well as Chinese rail- and state media. His independent observations are in demand globally, and are given global exposure. He has been interviewed in English, Chinese, German, French, and Italian.
These include the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and Italian-speaking public media from his native Switzerland, as well as Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung and Deutsche Welle, the BBC, CNN, the New York Times, and China’s People’s Railway Daily and Xinhua.