China issues real-name high-speed rail tickets

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Railways (MOR) said on Wednesday that Chinese rail ticket offices have started selling high-speed train tickets according to the passenger's name.

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All tickets for high-speed train departing after the end of May will be issued under the passenger's name and travelers require proof of personal identification when buying tickets, said the ministry in a statement on its website.

The new system allows passengers to buy train tickets with 23 kinds of identification, including ID cards, driver's licenses, and passports. Juveniles under 16 who are taller than 1.5 meters could also use student identity cards, said the ministry.

Local railway bureaus have made full preparations for the new system by installing ID card recognition systems at ticket offices and training personnel, the MOR said.

The new system is hoped to improve railway security and stop ticket scalping.