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The real-name ticket maze
Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2012-1-5 12:24:00
Shanghai Railway Station staff carry out preliminary checks for real-name and ticket validations Wednesday. Fifteen passengers were held up over two hours due to ID problems. The move will be officially implemented on Sunday, ahead of the Spring Festival travel rush. Photo: Cai Xianmin/GT
For 2012, the real-name system of train tickets purchase has been launched all over the country for all passengers, to curb rampant illegal ticket scalping and speculation. However, some passengers have complained about the trouble and problems when trying to purchase train tickets recently.
Pros:
"It is helpful in efforts to crack down on ticket scalping. Many foreign countries now use the real name tickets," Li Hongchang, an associate professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, told the Global Times.
Cons:
"With my information exposed on the ticket and railway station's online database, I'm afraid they are stolen or sold by others," Huang Haiting, a college teacher in Zhejjiang Province, told the Global Times.
Neutral:
A real-name system is surely not a panacea. It has been repeated a thousand times that this is a double-edged sword. However, it is still the best of all untried solutions at hand for China.
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Tickets can be booked 12 days in advance
Phone booking number:
Beijing: 010-95105105 Guangzhou: 020-95105105 / 96020088 Shanghai: 021-95105105
1. It's easier to get through to the ticket line by using fixed-line telephones instead of mobile phones as the signal of the latter is more stable.
2. Continue to dial the phone number even you're told the line is busy till you get through.
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2. Business hours: 6am - 11pm
3. Identification required: One ID card can be used to make a maximum of five purchases. Foreigners will have to use their passport number to book online.
4. Payment system:You need a Chinese bank card, and sufficient fluency to navigate the system in less than 15 minutes. Taking longer results in the request automatically being aborted.
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Tips for foreigners to book tickets in China
Foreigners who want to buy tickets in person at the railway stations in China can use their passport, residence permit, Certificate for Entry and Exit Dates, Certificate as a Diplomat, Certificate as a consulate employee in China, or a certificate issued by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs which proves your identification as a foreigner.
A certificate issued by the local Exit and Entry Administration of the public security bureau, and a temporary identification card as a train passenger issued by the railway public security bureaus are needed in case one loses their passport.
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I think the government didn’t complete the testing of online sale system before putting it into force. Now, the phone and website are always busy and people cannot buy the tickets through scalpers either. The unpractical policy has brought massive inconvenience to people who are eager to go home in the Spring Festival.
Su Jiliang, president of China Surveying and Mapping Enterprise Groups
Although it took me a whole afternoon to buy the ticket on the website, I felt happy that I can buy the ticket in front of my computer, instead of queuing in the tickets hall or giving extra money to scalpers.
Xu Mingliang, a Sina Microblog user
1. In January 2010, the Ministry of Railways announced that railway bureaus in Guangzhou and Chengdu would sell real-name tickets, marking the first application of the system.
2. ID-based ticket sales for China Railway High-Speed (CRH) trains are to come into effect from June 1, 2011.
3. For 2012, the real-name system of train tickets purchase has been launched all over the country for all passengers, to curb rampant illegal ticket scalping and speculation.
New ticket system won't Real-name train ticket system More train seats still
For 2012, the real-name system of train tickets purchase has been launched all over the country for all passengers, to curb rampant illegal ticket scalping and speculation. However, some passengers have complained about the trouble and problems when trying to purchase train tickets recently.
Pros:
"It is helpful in efforts to crack down on ticket scalping. Many foreign countries now use the real name tickets," Li Hongchang, an associate professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, told the Global Times.
Cons:
"With my information exposed on the ticket and railway station's online database, I'm afraid they are stolen or sold by others," Huang Haiting, a college teacher in Zhejjiang Province, told the Global Times.
Neutral:
A real-name system is surely not a panacea. It has been repeated a thousand times that this is a double-edged sword. However, it is still the best of all untried solutions at hand for China.
More>>>
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Govt gets crash course on public opinion
Stolen ID info used for online rail tickets
It’s a long journey back for railways’ redemption
Real-name policy best option despite potential perils
Booking tickets on the phone
Tickets can be booked 12 days in advance
Phone booking number:
Beijing: 010-95105105 Guangzhou: 020-95105105 / 96020088 Shanghai: 021-95105105
1. It's easier to get through to the ticket line by using fixed-line telephones instead of mobile phones as the signal of the latter is more stable.
2. Continue to dial the phone number even you're told the line is busy till you get through.
More>>>
Online ticketing system
Tickets can be booked 12 days in advance.
1. Ticket Purchasing Website: www.12306.cn2. Business hours: 6am - 11pm
3. Identification required: One ID card can be used to make a maximum of five purchases. Foreigners will have to use their passport number to book online.
4. Payment system:You need a Chinese bank card, and sufficient fluency to navigate the system in less than 15 minutes. Taking longer results in the request automatically being aborted.
More>>>
Ticket booths
Tickets are sold around the clock at railway booths.
1. Tickets can be sold only 10 days in advance, two days later than those via the online and phone booking system.
More>>>
Tips for foreigners to book tickets in China
Foreigners who want to buy tickets in person at the railway stations in China can use their passport, residence permit, Certificate for Entry and Exit Dates, Certificate as a Diplomat, Certificate as a consulate employee in China, or a certificate issued by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs which proves your identification as a foreigner.
A certificate issued by the local Exit and Entry Administration of the public security bureau, and a temporary identification card as a train passenger issued by the railway public security bureaus are needed in case one loses their passport.
More>>>
I think the government didn’t complete the testing of online sale system before putting it into force. Now, the phone and website are always busy and people cannot buy the tickets through scalpers either. The unpractical policy has brought massive inconvenience to people who are eager to go home in the Spring Festival.
Su Jiliang, president of China Surveying and Mapping Enterprise Groups
Although it took me a whole afternoon to buy the ticket on the website, I felt happy that I can buy the ticket in front of my computer, instead of queuing in the tickets hall or giving extra money to scalpers.
Xu Mingliang, a Sina Microblog user
The real-name ticket is good for cracking down on scalpers and protecting the interests of passengers. However, now the network quality of the website and the service of the phone line should be improved. And I am also concerned about whether the personal information might be leaked.
1. In January 2010, the Ministry of Railways announced that railway bureaus in Guangzhou and Chengdu would sell real-name tickets, marking the first application of the system.
2. ID-based ticket sales for China Railway High-Speed (CRH) trains are to come into effect from June 1, 2011.
3. For 2012, the real-name system of train tickets purchase has been launched all over the country for all passengers, to curb rampant illegal ticket scalping and speculation.
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