Shanghai's railway authority issued an urgent notice this
morning to halt ticket sales as the worst snow in 50 years caused
transport chaos in many parts of China.
All long-distance ticket sales were cancelled for today,
tomorrow and Wednesday even though the country is heading into its
annual rail peak for the Spring Festival, Eastday.com reported
today.
Many trains have been delayed due to inclement weather in other
parts of the country, thus stranding passengers at Shanghai's
railway stations. Ticket sales were stopped so that room could be
made on trains in the next few days for these stranded
passengers.
The Shanghai Railway Station has ceased ticket sales on every
route but ticket holders can still use its wickets for refunds.
Trains to Hangzhou and Ningbo in Zhejiang Province will still
depart at Shanghai South Railway Station, the report said.
Shanghai South Railway Station has reserved exclusive wickets
for refunds, the report said.
Heavy snow since mid-January has killed dozens of people and
created transport havoc in central and eastern regions of the
country.
The national forecasting authority said the freezing weather
will continue over the next week.
Guizhou's provincial government said more than 40,000 people
were stranded in at least 5,000 broken-down vehicles on expressways
between Guizhou and neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
Region.
In Jiangsu Province, snow virtually closed Nanjing's
airport.
After train delays between Beijing and Guangzhou on Saturday,
the number of passengers stranded in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang
Province, soared to 30,000 yesterday.
(Shanghai Daily January 29, 2008)