High-speed rail fares have risen sharply, causing strong public discontent
Recently, the State Railway Group Corporation released the latest high-speed rail fare adjustment plan, and the fares of many high-speed rail lines will usher in a rise of about 20%. As soon as this news came out, it immediately aroused strong dissatisfaction and heated discussions in society.
As a modern means of transportation, high-speed rail carries the travel dreams of hundreds of millions of people, and its fare adjustment is related to people's livelihood and directly affects everyone's travel costs. This sharp price increase will undoubtedly increase the economic burden of ordinary people, so that the impression of "high consumption" of high-speed rail is more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
The ticket price of the high-speed rail line is higher than the ticket price of the same flight
What's even more shocking is that in this price adjustment, the fare of the high-speed rail line even exceeds the ticket price of the same line flight. Taking the Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed railway as an example, the high-speed rail ticket from Beijing to Guangzhou will reach 1,180 yuan, while the economy class ticket for the same line flight will only cost more than 900 yuan. This phenomenon of "higher than airplanes" undoubtedly makes people question the livelihood positioning of high-speed rail.
As an important means of people's livelihood travel, high-speed rail has a wide impact on price increases
It is undeniable that high-speed rail has become an important means of people's livelihood in today's society. Whether it is visiting relatives and friends, sightseeing, business travel, medical treatment and education, high-speed rail plays an indispensable role. The adjustment of high-speed rail fares is not only related to the people's money bags, but also related to the national economy and people's livelihood, and has a wide and far-reaching impact.
The specific price increase
According to the data released by the railway department, the average increase in the high-speed rail fare adjustment is about 20%, but the increase is even higher for some popular lines, reaching more than 30%. The ticket price increase of Beijing-Guangzhou, Shanghai-Kunming and other high-speed rail corridors is the most obvious, which has brought a heavy economic burden to the majority of passengers.
It is worth noting that this price increase not only affects economy class cars, but also other car classes, including business class. This means that no matter what seat class you choose, the cost of travel will increase significantly.
Another striking phenomenon is that the fares of high-speed rail in second-tier cities have caught up with the prices of flights on the same line. Taking the high-speed rail line from Wuhan to Beijing as an example, the current high-speed rail ticket price has reached more than 1,000 yuan, while the economy class ticket of the same line flight is only more than 800 yuan, forming an obvious "upside-down" situation.
Status quo of high-speed rail operation
Why did high-speed rail have to adjust fares so drastically? Judging from the operating data of the high-speed rail company, only 6 high-speed rail lines in the country are profitable, and the rest of the lines are in a state of loss. What's more grim is that by the end of 2023, the overall debt of high-speed rail companies has reached a staggering 6 trillion yuan.
The operating costs of high-speed rail also continue to rise. Labor, energy, maintenance and other expenses are rising, putting heavy pressure on the operation of high-speed rail companies. The price increase is seen as a helpless move by the high-speed rail company to cope with rising costs and maintain normal operations.
The public is skeptical
Still, the decision to raise prices sharply has sparked strong public skepticism. Many citizens believe that high-speed rail, as a public undertaking for people's livelihood, should not excessively pursue economic benefits, but should provide reasonable and affordable travel services for the people.
The public has also expressed dissatisfaction with the rationale for the price increase and the lack of transparency in the calculation process. Many people question whether the high-speed rail company is exaggerating the loss data, whether there are internal management chaos, capital loss and other problems, resulting in a sharp price increase.
The railway department explained
In the face of public doubts, the railway department gave an explanation and responded. They said that high-speed rail is a quasi-public good and needs to seek a balance between public welfare and operation. This price increase is indeed a helpless move to cope with rising costs and maintain normal operations.
The railway authorities also promised to optimize the structure of the routes, ensure that the fares of the basic travel routes are kept at a reasonable and affordable level, and protect the interests of the people to the greatest extent. For some economically underdeveloped areas, appropriate subsidies will also be given to avoid excessively increasing the travel burden of local residents.
As a modern means of transportation, high-speed rail is related to the national economy and people's livelihood. The sharp price increase has aroused widespread public concern and questions, reflecting the people's doubts about the positioning of high-speed rail. As a quasi-public good, high-speed rail needs to seek a balance between public welfare and operation, and at the same time ensure operation, it must also be considerate of public opinion, and effectively provide the people with reasonable and affordable high-quality travel services, so that high-speed rail can truly benefit the people.
The development of high-speed rail has a long way to go. The railway sector needs to strengthen internal management, improve operational efficiency, and reduce unnecessary costs. At the same time, it is also necessary to actively listen to public opinions, increase the transparency of decision-making, and allow the people to supervise and understand the development process of high-speed rail. Only in this way can high-speed rail truly take root in the hearts of the people and become an important support for the country's modernization.