Say Goodbye to the Era of Paper Tickets in China!

The era of train tickets is officially over in China!

At the China railway science and technology innovation exhibition, Shan Xinghua, Director of the 12306 Technology Department, made an official announcement. 

Paper tickets will be removed all together!

"Whether passengers buy tickets on 12306.cn or through an APP, a ticket window or an automated ticket machine, paper tickets are no longer issued at our station window."

So, how do we get on the train?

The answer is simple: e-tickets!

E-tickets will include two-dimensional QR codes. When arriving at the station with your mobile phone, you’ll pull up the e-ticket and upon arriving to the check-in gate machine, you will scan your e-ticket under the reader and it will let you enter the station. 

Don’t panic! 

For those who do not use smartphones or if your phone is not charged, you can swipe your ID cards as your e-ticket.

If you don’t have the QR code, you can still use your e-ticket with WeChat or Alipay! 

In just a few easy steps you can set up an account to ride. Apply for WeChat Electronic ID Card or Alipay Electronic ID Card and directly use this via the APP when you board.

For Chinese citizens, simply enter your ID number and apply, then the next time you are at the train station, open the APP and scan your electronic ID card.

In addition, facial recognition will also be available in most first and second-tier cities.

How will facial recognition work in place of an ID card?

Even if you don’t have your ID card with you, the machine will still recognize you when your face is scanned. It will scan your face and then the machine will let you enter the station the same as an “e-ticket”.

Currently, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Wuhan are supporting express lanes for facial recognition.

This new era of paperless tickets will be rolled out across the country. Mobile phones, electronic ID cards, and facial recognition are the new “toll card”. ­

Technology is growing so fast and helping to advance the country. 

What do you think of these changes?

Editor: Crystal Huang

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