Real-name train travel collapses after prank

For the last two years, all train tickets in China have had to include the real name of the passenger to prevent scalping. But the system clearly isn't working. Numerous pictures have been posted on the internet, showing railway tickets stamped with names that are obviously fake. And the passengers still managed to use them.

On Friday, a passenger posted photos of himself riding a train from Fuzhou to Fuzhou South Station with tickets bearing the names of Japanese cartoon characters. His prank undermined the multi-million yuan system designed to battle scalpers and prevent ticket hoarding during the 40-day Spring Festival travel season. Similar pranks followed, with one person claiming to be a meatball. Another used the name of a fictional kungfu master.

And one person even used the name of a steamed bun chain store which became an internet sensation after President Xi Jinping ate there earlier this month. Railway authorities have now given up printing names on tickets. In the future, however, the online ticket booking system will be connected to an police identity authentication database.