Regional railway lines test QR code booking
A woman demonstrates how to scan a QR code at the platform gate of a local train station.
From July 28, passengers on three railway lines in the Yangtze River Delta region can board trains by scanning a QR code, China Railway Shanghai Group announced on Monday.
The system is being trialed on the Shanghai-Nanjing intercity line, the Nanjing-Anqing high-speed line, and the Nanjing-Qidong line, covering a total of 14 cities in the region.
The codes rely on e-cards which can be obtained by registering on mobile app 12306, the online railway ticket booking platform, the group said.
Invoices can be printed at ticket vending machines at railway stations within 31 days of travel, it said.
The codes require real-name registration and can only be used by the registered person, the group said.
The code can be accessed on the "tielu e katong” section, meaning "railway e-card pass,” on the app and passengers need to register information such as ID card or passport and bank card number to open an account.
Expats can use the code to take trains, but the registration page is in Chinese.
