Economy
High speed means high ticket prices for passengers
By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-26 08:38
 |
Large Medium Small |
GUANGZHOU: It may be faster, but many passengers fear the new bullet train between Central and Southern China will simply push up travel costs.
High prices for the service, which from today runs from Guangzhou in Guangdong province to Wuhan in Hubei, have triggered heated debate that tickets are only affordable to privileged commuters.
"The prices are just too high for us," said Huang Jiunan, who works for a construction company in Guangzhou.
"I will still go for a regular train as tickets are much cheaper," he said. "But it will still be difficult to buy a regular train ticket if more migrant workers like me do not choose the new service."
His fears were compounded by the Ministry of Railways' announcement that several trains on the Beijing to Guangzhou line will be halted following the launch of the high-speed link.
Sources within the railway authorities said 26 services between Guangzhou and neighboring Shenzhen, and Wuhan, Changsha and Hengyang would also be suspended.
"We will be forced to buy expensive tickets," complained college student Zhang Qian yesterday, who said her boyfriend used to pay just 180 yuan ($26) to travel from Wuhan to Guangzhou.
Tickets for regular services range from 50 to 280 yuan but to travel on the new 350-km/h link costs about 800 yuan for first class and 500 for second class.
"As a student, I can't afford such high prices," said Zhang, who added that she would not be able to go to Guangzhou as frequently if normal trains are suspended.
A large number of tickets for Saturday's trains remained unsold till Friday.
"You don't need to book the ticket in advance. Come and buy directly as we still have many tickets," a ticket agent at the Guangzhou Baiyun Center told China Daily on Friday.
