Those who do not buy train tickets during Tet will not be able to buy additional tickets and must get off the train.

When detecting a passenger with an invalid train ticket, the working group will not sell additional tickets and will resolutely invite that passenger to get off the train.

Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) has just issued some general regulations for passengers to note when traveling by train during the Lunar New Year 2016. Accordingly, the Lunar New Year train will start operating from January 25 to February 23, 2016. Peak time will start from January 29 to February 6, 2016 and after the Lunar New Year from January 19 to February 23, 2016.

During peak times, even-numbered Thong Nhat trains will depart from Saigon from 0:00 on January 29, 2016 to 24:00 on February 6, 2016 (ie from 0:00 on December 20 to 24:00 on December 28, year of the Goat). Odd-numbered Thong Nhat trains will depart from Hanoi from 0:00 on February 11, 2016 to 24:00 on February 23, 2016 (ie from 0:00 on January 4 to 24:00 on January 16, year of the Monkey).

Passengers can buy train tickets through ticket offices and stations, buy tickets on the online train ticketing system via the website from October 1, 2015. Each passenger cannot book more than 4 tickets for one way at a time.

The working groups on the Thong train strictly handle cases of passengers committing ticket fraud. (Illustration: KT)

VNR also organizes the sale of tickets to convert from sleeper to seat during peak times and this form is only applied to the first bunk bed, soft sleeper car with 4 beds. For children from 6 to 10 years old, they will buy a seatless ticket at 50% of the extra seat ticket price and can only buy tickets when accompanied by an adult. Each adult ticket can only be sold with 1 seatless child ticket. Children who buy a seatless ticket when boarding the train will be arranged to use the same seat as the accompanying adult.

Passengers who purchase extra seat tickets during peak hours will be seated on plastic chairs. Each 80-seat hard seat car will be sold 12 extra seat tickets. Each sleeper car and other passenger cars will be sold 7 extra seats. Extra seat tickets will not be sold for cars that have been sold sleeper-to-seat tickets. The price of an extra seat ticket is calculated at 80% of the price of a hard seat ticket.

Passengers who want to change their tickets will be charged 10,000 VND/ticket and will be refunded or charged the difference (if any) compared to the purchased ticket. The changed ticket must have the time according to current regulations, have the same departure and arrival stations and can only be changed once. The changed ticket must have information about the change compared to the purchased ticket such as change of departure date, train, and type of carriage.

The refund will be deducted 5% of the ticket price for passengers who buy individual tickets with information matching the name on the identification document. For passengers who buy group tickets to travel by train, the ticket price will be deducted 20%.

In particular, VNR warns that during the peak train travel period during the Lunar New Year, many passengers may evade paying for tickets by buying short journeys, then avoiding ticket inspectors; only when discovered will they ask to buy additional tickets to extend the journey.

In this case, to ensure security and order on the train, VNR requires the working groups on the Thong Nhat train not to sell additional connecting tickets to passengers. If passengers are found to have invalid tickets, they will be resolutely asked to get off the train. In particular, cases of the elderly and children will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

According to VOV.VN