Questions and Answers - Student discount on China's railways Jay20 - Mar 11, 2009 - 10:20 PM Post subject: Student discount on China's railways
Today I asked the clerk at the english speaking counter at Shanghai railway station if I'd get a student discount for Shanghai-Hangzhou-Shanghai. She asked for my student ID but after flashing her my SHUFE ID (Shanghai University of Finance and Economics) the clerk said I won't get a discount.
Any information about student discount on China's railways? Is it (if there is one) only for some specific trains or journeys?
Would ISIC (International Student Identity Card) do any better?
Jimmy_Floyd - Mar 12, 2009 - 10:08 AM Post subject:
You'd have to ask a Chinese person about this, but from what I remember from working at a university here, the discount is only given to Chinese students travelling between their home town and the university town. It is possible they only get a certain number of trips a year in this way as well.
As a foreigner (which I'm assuming you are) I think it's hugely unlikley you will be given any kind of discount. I doubt they would even know what an ISIC card is, so I wouldn't bother if I were you. No harm in trying though I suppose.
Having said that, my ISIC card did get me some discounts at a few random places back in the day (Summer Palace in Beijing, and Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan from what I remember)
yu888 - Mar 12, 2009 - 11:39 AM Post subject:
Based on info I got, students get discounts during holidays to go home and the ID needs to be the kind that has a mag strip on their ID to be eligible.
Jay20 - Mar 12, 2009 - 02:10 PM Post subject:
yu888 wrote:
the ID needs to be the kind that has a mag strip on their ID to be eligible.
Makes sense as the clerk was checking the back of my card.