What do you think about the way train tickets are sold?

After it was learnt that touts were buying up train tickets to sell on at inflated prices, in addition to the inconvenience of people having to travel 10 kilometres out of the city centre to buy tickets at the station, the rail operator has opened a ticket office at the Vientiane Center. But passengers must pay an additional 20,000 kip per ticket as a service charge. Vientiane Times asked members of the public for their thoughts on the sale of tickets.

Children sit at separate desks at a school in Vientiane.

Mr Brian Vorarath, an employee in Naxaithong district, Vientiane: I’m glad that the rail operator has opened the ticket office at the shopping mall as this will make things easier, and tickets can be purchased up to three days before the date of travel. In the past people had to start queuing up at 4am and might wait until noon only to be told all the tickets were sold. This is a huge annoyance as well as wasting a lot of time. But I don’t agree with the 20,000 kip service charge. If the rail company is going to charge this much extra, it’s not much different to buying a ticket from touts at the train station. I’d like to know why they can’t use the same system as airlines and sell tickets at several agencies where they all cost the same price.
 
Ms Phoutsady, an employee in Luang Prabang province: To improve the ticket sales system and protect passengers from cheating, I think the rail company should have an online booking system so that we can buy tickets that have our name on them. This would prevent unscrupulous individuals from hoarding tickets. It would also reduce crowding at ticket counters, which is important if we want to keep Covid in check. 
 
Ms Phissamai Kaiyasith, a resident of Sikhottabong district, Vientiane: I’m pleased that the rail company has provided the ticket office but I don’t think it’s fair that passengers have to pay a service charge in addition to the basic ticket price. All costs should be included in the cost of the ticket. It would be better if the authorities improved the way tickets are sold so that the whole process is fair and quick. This would make passengers satisfied and enjoy train travel even more.     
 
Ms Lita, a resident of Hadxaifong district, Vientiane: I think it’s good that the rail company has opened the ticket agency but I’m not sure that it will solve the problem entirely because people won’t be happy about paying an additional 20,000 kip. That’s not so different from buying tickets at the station. Many people want to take a ride on a train and it’s now the top choice of transport, replacing bus travel in many northern areas. But the way that tickets are sold is inefficient. I’d like the people responsible to come up with a better way of selling tickets, so that the process is both fair and convenient.

Mr Bounmy, a government official in Sisattanak district, Vientiane: I’m very happy that tickets can now be purchased in the middle of Vientiane instead of people having to drive all the way out to the station, which was a costly and time-wasting exercise. I thought the new ticket office would save me money but in fact it doesn’t help all that much and I feel it’s not so different from buying a ticket from a tout at the station. If the rail operator is going to slap on a service charge to run this service, I think it would be better to set up an online system, and also to run more trains.

By Lamphone Pasanthong
   (Latest Update March 2, 2022)