China
        

From Chinese media

China's trains join superhighway with e-tickets

Updated: 2011-04-13 11:26

By Yan Weijue (chinadaily.com.cn)

Twitter Facebook Myspace Yahoo! Linkedin Mixx

Buying a train ticket and travelling on China's railways is about to get a whole lot easier.

A raft of new customer-friendly schemes is to be introduced including printing passengers names on tickets to help combat the scourge of the scalpers.

Related readings:
China's trains join superhighway with e-tickets High-speed rail cuts into airlines' success
China's trains join superhighway with e-tickets US to introduce China's high-speed rail
China's trains join superhighway with e-tickets Internet to be available on high-speed trains
China's trains join superhighway with e-tickets High-speed link means fast future for tourism destination

The real-name ticket purchasing system, which requires passengers to provide ID when buying a ticket, will be introduced to all high-speed trains in China starting on June 1.

China will also introduce e-tickets that can be bought online or over the phone with bankcards as well as automatic fare collection, the railway minister Sheng Guangzu said in an interview with People's Daily Tuesday.

The new Beijing to Shanghai express railway will pioneer the new online booking system in June, which will then be rolled out across the whole national railway network by the end of the year.

During the 12th Five-Year Program (2011-2015), 30,000 kilometers of new railway lines will be added, which will extend the length of railway from the current 91,000 kilometers to approximately 120,000, said the minister, adding that 50,000 of that will be in the western region of the country.

E-paper

Blowing in the wind

High-Flyers from around the world recently traveled to home of the kite for a very special event.

Preview of the coming issue
Image maker
Changing fortunes

European Edition

Specials

Costly dream

Uninhabited havens up for lease but potential customers face wave of challenges in developing them.

Models gear up car sales

Beauty helps steer buyers as market accelerates.

Urban breathing space

City park at heart of Changchun positions itself as top tourism attraction

25 years after Chernobyl
Luxury car show
Peking Opera revival