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"The article also mentions they're not allowed to buy train tickets. " How is that possible? You walk up, ask for a ticket to $wherever, pay the cash, and leav

• sitharus 9y ago
  Not in China! In China you typically need to present ID for all travellers to buy a ticket, at least on the new high speed services that are mentioned in the article. When I was there 15 years ago you needed ID for all regional services, though that could be because I was travelling in to Shanghai.
  • isostatic 9y ago
    Are tickets named, or could you get a friend to buy? Only trains I've taken in China is to/from Beijing airport, and the metro
    • rahimnathwani 9y ago
      Tickets are named and have a record of your ID number (national ID card or, for foreigners, passport). On the train, the ticket inspector checks that the details match, and that your face matches that on the ID document. This doesn't apply to metro services (like the Beijing subway or the Beijing airport express that you mention).
      • netsharc 9y ago
        Geezus. Russia used to have internal passports/travel permits, this smells like something similar but implemented through the rail network, it wouldn't be hard to implement a "house arrest" by disallowing ticket sales to some people. I guess they can still hop in a car to travel. Requiring ID also makes surveillance of people's movements, although I guess monitoring your SIM card is more effective.