China warns online travel platforms against automated train ticket programmes

Reuters04-10
China warns online travel platforms against automated train ticket programmes

BEIJING, April 10 (Reuters) - Chinese authorities summoned seven online platforms selling train tickets including Trip.com 9961.HK, Meituan 3690.HK, Tongcheng 0780.HK and Alibaba's 9988.HK Fliggy, warning the firms against disruptive, automated ticketing programmes.

Companies are "prohibited from using automated programs to conduct large-scale, high-frequency ticket-snatching operations that interfere with the security verification measures" and the normal operation of the official ticket selling system known as "12306", according to a statement released by the Cyberspace Administration of China on Friday.

China's railway recorded over 4.6 billion passenger trips in 2025, and travellers sometimes turn to software claiming to improve their chances of securing coveted tickets when they fail to book successfully through the official channel, especially during peak travel periods such as the Lunar New Year holiday, the world's largest annual human migration.

(Reporting by Xiuhao Chen and Ryan Woo; Editing by Alison Williams)

((Xiuhao.Chen@thomsonreuters.com;))

At the request of the copyright holder, you need to log in to view this content

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

Comments

We need your insight to fill this gap
Leave a comment