Train public address (PA) system is an important component of Passenger Information System. Acoustic feedback is a well-known problem in public address systems. It will cause howling under certain conditions, which can severely degrade sound quality and limit the maximum allowable amplification of the PA systems. The general adaptive feedback cancellation (AFC) algorithms lead to a biased estimation because of the correlation between source and feedback signals. In order to solve the problem and achieve both fast convergence and low steady-state misalignment, a novel variable step-size improved proportionate affine projection algorithm (IPAPA) based on mixed error cost function with prediction error method (PEM) and howling suppression is proposed in this paper. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.