From Chinese Press

Focus on ordinary passengers

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-04-18 08:04

The Ministry of Railways has announced that it will provide multi-level tickets at different prices from July 1. This is welcome news for passengers, especially because many people cannot afford high-speed or other fast-track train tickets, says an article in Yangtze Evening News. Excerpts:

The railways have developed at a fast pace and many high-speed train routes have been introduced in recent years. And though the pricing system has remained almost the same, ticket prices have increased drastically, even doubled in some cases.

The development and introduction of high-speed trains in the country, which the majority of people cannot afford to travel on, were supposed to go hand-in-hand with the overall development of the railways. But that has not happened, compromising the needs of most passengers.

The railways are part of the public transport system. They are built and operated with public money. So there is no reason why the Ministry of Railways should focus on developing and introducing high-speed trains when the country needs more "normal trains" to carry people from one place to another.

That's why the railway's move to offer multi-level tickets is welcome. The move can also be seen as an effort to promote public welfare.

But all said and done, the railways need to take more such measures to help ordinary passengers travel on trains.

(China Daily 04/18/2011 page9)