A recent notice, like a bomb dropped into a calm lake, caused huge waves. Just last week, the official website of 12306 was suddenly updated with a notice, announcing that from next month, high-speed rail fares will be adjusted nationwide, with an average increase of up to 20%.
This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to the average wage earner who often need to take the high-speed rail. Mr. Zhang, a migrant worker in Beijing, returns to his hometown in Henan every month to visit his elderly parents.
The increase in fares means that the cost of each time he goes home will increase significantly, which puts a lot of pressure on his family budget. He said to me, "I used to be able to accept it when I went home, but now that the price has risen, I really don't know what to do." ”
Not only Mr. Zhang, but many people are complaining about the unreasonable price increase. Xiao Li, a college student, said that their student group was already financially constrained, and the high-speed rail ticket was originally a more economical way for them to go home, but now that the ticket price has risen, even the threshold for going home has been raised. Xiao Li said: "I originally planned to go home twice during the winter vacation, but now it seems that I have to save a little, and I may not be able to go back." ”
On social media, there were voices of dissatisfaction with the price adjustment. Many netizens posted their own high-speed rail ticket price comparison charts on Weibo, bluntly saying that the price increase is too outrageous. Some netizens said: "The salary has not risen, the rent and living expenses have been rising, and now even going home to see it has become a luxury." ”
Many citizens expressed their helplessness and anxiety in interviews. Ms. Liu, who returns to her hometown in Anhui Province from Shanghai every month, said: "I look forward to going home once a month, and this price increase is simply worse for us ordinary salaried people." ”
As the controversy heats up, authorities are starting to consider whether they need to offer some fare concessions to specific groups of people, such as students and the elderly. Although this concept has not yet been formally implemented, it at least gives people a glimmer of hope.
There are also voices calling for more local trains and night trains to provide more options and ease some of the economic pressure.
Passengers across the country are also starting to look for alternatives. Some people are starting to think about carpooling home, while others choose to look for second-hand tickets or group deals online to minimize their expenses.
While these spontaneous small-scale actions have alleviated the plight of some people to some extent, widespread discontent is still spreading.
The adjustment of high-speed rail fares is not only an economic issue, but also touches a social topic about the equality and accessibility of public services. This change has made many people begin to reflect on whether China's high-speed rail behind the rapid development has really benefited everyone in every corner.
For those living in less economically developed areas, high-speed rail, which is supposed to be a bridge between them and the outside world, can now become an insurmountable barrier.
The debate over high-speed rail fares quickly heated up and attracted the attention of government departments. Some local governments have begun to communicate with the railway authorities to explore possible subsidy schemes, hoping to reduce the burden on the people without affecting the normal operation of the railways.