Shanghai_Light_Rail_Caoxi_Road_Station.preview.jpg (Photo : www.cuewb.com)
Shanghai rail passengers will be observing new rules regarding fines on ticket penalties as new national guidelines were introduced on Wednesday.
According to the Shanghai Railway Authority's statement on Sunday, rail passengers during this week will not be given a fine for changing or canceling a train ticket within not less than 15 days before the departure date.
The 5-percent penalty fee on the ticket was removed under the new national rules.
The rail authority said that returning a train ticket 15 days or more before the departure date has minimal effect on reselling the ticket.
But passengers who wish to return train tickets from two to 15 days before the departure date of the train will have to pay the 5-percent charge as penalty.
Meanwhile, passengers who will cancel tickets within 24 to 48 hours before the date of travel will have to pay a 10-percent penalty charge. In addition, canceled tickets under 24 hours before the departure date will be charged with a 20-percent penalty fee.
Rail passengers who are late will also benefit from the new national rules.
Passengers who miss the scheduled train service will still be able to travel on another train going to the original destination on the same day.
Previously, latecomers needed to pay a 20-percent charge and had to ride another train within two hours.
However, the new rules are stricter on changing destination bookings. Passengers will only be able to change to another train of the same destination within 48 hours after the original departing time. Before the new rules, passengers could transfer freely to other trains even within 20 days free of charge.
