Has been implemented for more than 20 years
The standard for train children's tickets intends to break the "heterogeneous theory"
Children over 6 years old and under 14 years old who have applied for real-name registration can buy discounted tickets
Yangcheng Evening News reporter Li Zhiwen
Should children buy train tickets to enjoy preferential treatment based on height or age?
This has always been an issue.
A few days ago, the State Railway Administration issued a draft for comments, which proposed to revise the standard for children's preferential tickets that has been implemented for more than 20 years, and the "philosophical fare" may be broken.
As the Spring Festival is approaching, this topic has attracted widespread attention.
A reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News interviewed relevant experts and lawyers.
new rule
The real-name system is intended to be based on age
Not real name still according to height
A few days ago, the official website of the State Railway Administration released the "Railway Passenger Transport Regulations (Draft for Comment)", in which Article 12 shows that whether children can take the train for free or at a discount is divided into two situations for discussion:
The first type is the real-name system for train tickets: children over 6 years old and under 14 years old can buy child discount tickets; children over 14 years old should buy full-price tickets.
In addition, each adult passenger with a ticket can bring a child under the age of 6 who does not occupy a seat on the bus for free; when there is more than one child, a child discount ticket should be purchased.
Second, those who do not implement the real-name system for tickets: children with a height of 1.2 meters and less than 1.5 meters can buy child discount tickets; children with a height of 1.5 meters should buy full-price tickets.
In addition, each adult passenger with a ticket can bring a child who is less than 1.2 meters in height and does not occupy a seat on the bus for free; when there is more than one child, a child discount ticket should be purchased.
It is reported that the draft was revised and formed by the State Railway Administration on the basis of the former Ministry of Railways "Railway Passenger Transport Regulations" (issued in 1997 and still in use).
The reporter checked the original regulations and found that it stipulates whether children enjoy preferential treatment on trains as follows: "Children who are 1.2 meters to 1.5 meters tall when traveling with adults should buy children's discount tickets; when they exceed 1.5 meters, they should buy full-price tickets. Adult passengers can bring a child less than 1.2 meters in height for free, and if there is more than one, the number of people exceeding the number should buy a child ticket."
That is to say, the draft for comments broke the 20-year rule of "only theoretical fares", adding that under the condition of real-name system tickets, children can enjoy preferential tickets based on their age, and at the same time, it also retains the conditions for which the real-name system has not been implemented. When buying tickets, height is still used as the criterion for judging child tickets.
interpret
Children's height keeps rising
The standard of enjoying preferential treatment will also change
What do lawyers and experts think about the proposed new regulations?
Zhu Yongping, a lawyer from Guangdong Datong Law Firm, believes that it is unreasonable to only enjoy preferential policies based on the height of children, which will lead to some taller and well-developed school-age children unable to enjoy preferential policies, which is unfair; the State Railway Administration plans to introduce The new regulations on discounts for children's tickets distinguish the purchase of tickets, which can better protect the rights and interests of children, and facilitate the railway staff to better implement the discounts in practice.
The reporter learned that in recent years, the average height of children in my country has been increasing.
According to the "Evaluation of Height Development Grades for Children and Adolescents Aged 7 to 18" released by the National Health and Health Commission in 2018, the median height standards for 12-year-old boys and girls are 152.18 cm and 152.41 cm respectively, and the median height for 14-year-old boys and girls is 152.18 cm and 152.41 cm. The standard is 165.63 cm and 157.78 cm respectively.
Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the China Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association, believes that since the enjoyment of preferential treatment is a right granted to children by social development, we should try our best to implement it so that all eligible children can enjoy it without setting additional thresholds.
Chen Yinjiang said that although the new regulations in the consultation draft have made progress, they still need to be improved.
For example, children who are still 1.2 meters in height and less than 1.5 meters in height can buy discount tickets.
He pointed out: "Today, the average height of children is increasing with the improvement of nutrition level, and the new regulations still use the standard of more than 20 years ago, which is out of date." He believes that in order to allow most children to enjoy the preferential treatment, the draft for comments The height definition in , should refer to the height of children who meet the maximum value of the preferential age range, that is, the average height or median height of 14-year-old children.
suggestion
As long as the age of the child can be proven
Should not be treated differently because of non-real names
Chen Yinjiang also holds a different opinion on the fact that the children without real-name system proposed in the consultation draft are still based on their height.
In his view, "children who meet one of the age or height criteria can enjoy preferential treatment" is the best solution, that is, the new regulations do not need to distinguish between real-name and non-real-name systems.
Chen Yinjiang explained: "Because of the lack of understanding of the policy or the long-term habit of enjoying discounts based on height in the past, many parents may have forgotten to register the real-name system when buying train tickets for their children, but because the children exceeded the height standard , which makes it impossible to enjoy preferential treatment." He suggested that in the above-mentioned circumstances, as long as parents can show their household registration book or children's ID card to prove that their children are within the age group that enjoys preferential treatment, the railway department should give preferential treatment according to regulations. .
The reporter learned that at the beginning of 2021, many netizens left messages on the Internet to inquire about "children's ticket preferential treatment is based on height or age".
At that time, the Ministry of Transport replied that the range of free-ticket children is 6 years old (inclusive) or below 1.2 meters (inclusive) in height; the range of half-price tickets for children is 6-14 years old or 1.2-1.5 meters in height.
Those who meet either age or height can enjoy relevant preferential treatment.
However, the current scope of this regulation is limited to passenger shuttles and waterway passenger ships.
The Law on the Protection of Minors, which was officially implemented on June 1, 2021, clarifies that urban public transportation, as well as highways, railways, waterways, and air passenger transport, shall implement free or discounted fares for minors in accordance with relevant regulations.