On August 16, the incident of two girls using a seat on a train to store snacks and refusing to let other passengers without seats sit on it sparked heated discussion.

On August 21, China Railway Chengdu Bureau issued a statement on the matter (as previously reported), but it has once again sparked heated discussions in the public.

According to a CCTV News report on August 23, a relevant official from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. made a further response.

Jiao Degui, director of the Compliance Management Division of the Corporate Legal Department of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., stated that according to the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, the Regulations on Railway Passenger Transport of the Ministry of Transport, the Measures for the Real-Name Management of Railway Passenger Tickets, and the Railway Passenger Transport Rules of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., if a passenger fails to board the train after purchasing a ticket due to their own reasons, it shall be deemed that the passenger has not exercised their right to use the seat.

In the past, if a passenger missed their train after it departed, their ticket was invalidated. Now, however, passengers who board the train without having their ticket checked can enjoy the right to rebook a ticket for a train departing before midnight on the same day, but they no longer have the right to freely choose their original seat.

If we support the view that ticket buyers can control their seats, theoretically, a passenger who buys one ticket can enjoy the rights of two tickets: one is an empty seat that can be used even if the ticket is not checked before boarding, and the other is a ticket that can be changed after departure. This is not only a waste of public resources, but also creates a negative demonstration effect, which may lead to more people buying multiple tickets to reserve seats. This is unreasonable.

If there are special needs, is it possible to buy more tickets?

Zheng Duo, director of the Passenger Transport Management Department of China State Railway Group, said that if passengers have special needs such as illness or accompanying a patient, they can purchase more tickets than the actual number of passengers. For example, if two people are traveling and one is accompanying a patient, they need space for three tickets to allow the patient to lie down or place medical equipment. They can purchase three tickets with three ID cards when purchasing the tickets. However, they should explain this to the train staff after boarding. The staff will provide priority passenger services and also help explain the situation to other passengers.

Some netizens raised objections, arguing that the rule is unfair in terms of rights and responsibilities. The ticket purchaser has already paid, and the failure to have their ticket checked does not mean the railway department has completed the refund. Is it fair to directly deprive the ticket purchaser of their seat rights without a refund? If the vacant seats created by unchecked tickets are allocated to standing passengers, what happens if the original passenger boards at an intermediate station? Should that seat be used by the standing passenger or by the original passenger?

Jiao Degui explained that, according to relevant laws and regulations, a passenger service contract is established between the passenger and the carrier from the moment the passenger pays for the ticket. Passengers who do not board the train and relinquish their right to use a seat for the designated segment of the journey, and who may subsequently have the right to reschedule, possess these rights themselves, not those of their companions. Even if the companion is a relative or the person who purchased the ticket for them, they have no right to dispose of the passenger's vacant seat.

The railway department stated that if a passenger fails to board the train due to their own reasons, thus creating an objective fact that the passenger is not exercising their right to use the seat in the section of the train that is currently in operation, and the seat becomes vacant, then if a passenger without a standing ticket needs a seat, they can use the seat or ask the staff for coordination to find a temporary seat.

Zheng Duo further stated that the railway department will not resell the ticket until the original passenger has refunded or changed their ticket. However, it should be noted that passengers with standing-room-only tickets are temporarily seated. If the original passenger boards the train midway, they still retain the right to use that seat and can ask staff to ask the temporarily seated passenger to leave so the original passenger can take their seat. (Source: Chang'an Street Observer)