BEIJING (AFP) -- China's Ministry of Railways may be forced to lower ticket prices for its new bullet train services, which begin today, due to disappointing initial sales, state media said Tuesday.

Fares on the new services were 50 percent higher than current express trains as bullet trains promise to reduce journey times by several hours between major cities, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Tickets for the first bullet train services went on sale on April 14 but in some cities sales have been sluggish, with the high prices being blamed, the report said.

"We have noticed public opinion about the ticket prices and will consider slashing prices on the basis of market conditions in the future," Wang Yongping, spokesman with the ministry, was quoted as saying.

With speeds of 200 to 250 kilometers (125 to 155 miles) per hour, the bullet trains will expand national railway passenger capacity by 18 percent, or an addition of 340,000 seats a day, alleviating ticket shortages during holidays.

They will also increase China's cargo capacity by 12 percent.

"But it will not be possible for China to completely eliminate the shortages until 2020 when the country's railway network lengthens to 100,000 kilometers (60,000 miles)," Wang said.