Kunming may ban loud noises on subway trains

Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, is mulling whether to punish subway passengers who make a lot of noise, including playing loud music.

The city held a hearing over a draft code about regulating passengers on urban rail transit recently. The offenders, if the new code is passed, would be recorded in the local credit platform.

The draft code forbids passengers from making a racket and playing music publicly on the train. Those who violate the code would be given administrative punishment.

According to the draft, the passenger flow on Kunming's rail transit system has been increasing, so it is even more important to keep noise levels down on the subway to avoid disturbing riders.

The city has five subway lines with a total length of 88.7 kilometers. On average, nearly 600,000 people ride on the trains daily.

Earlier this year, Beijing and Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province, issued similar regulations to punish people who play videos or music loudly inside trains and subways.

Lin Chuyan, 26, spends about two hours commuting in Beijing and often hears people using their mobile phones on the subway. She is in favor of prohibiting such behavior.

"The sound is quite noisy, especially when I want to read something quietly or take a nap," she said. "But few people take a stand to stop the uncivilized behavior when it happens.

"I think the administrative punishment may be enough for offenders, which could teach them a lesson, but a bad record may be a little harsh for them."

In Lanzhou, staff have the right to dissuade, stop or refuse to provide services and can mete out punishment.