The Ministry of Railways has announced that those train passengers who lose train tickets which were issued using their real names can report the loss and apply for new tickets starting May 10.

Passengers no longer have to worry about mislaying their train tickets so long as they use their real name to purchase them. That's because, as of Thursday, China's railway authority allows passengers to purchase replacement tickets and reclaim the cost upon completing their journey.

The Ministry of Railways said that rail passengers who want to replace lost tickets must inform the railway staff that they have lost their tickets, purchase new tickets, pay an application fee of 2 yuan and provide a valid identification card or other document, no less than 20 minutes before the original ticket expires. Passengers can then get a refund after they have completed their journey and once their information has been confirmed.

Chen Chao, director of the Beijing Railway Station Ticket Office, said that Thursday was the first day that passengers were able to purchase replacement tickets and seek a refund, with more than 30 passengers applying to replace their tickets.

"Passengers who apply for replacement tickets need to take their ID cards and tell the railway staff all the relevant information including the train No. you are supposed to take, the time of the train and the destination. After we confirm your information, we will give you the replacement tickets. "

A man surnamed Xu, who bought tickets from Beijing to Shijiazhuang with his family, lost the tickets prior to their trip. He was lucky thanks to the new policy.

"I paid the original price again to buy new tickets, and informed the railway staff that I had lost my original tickets and asked the chief conductor to issue a confirmation for the purchase of replacement tickets. With 24 hours of arriving at my destination, I had to show the replacement tickets to obtain a refund along with my ID card to confirm my identity," Xu said.

However, some people said that the complicated application procedure would be inconvenient for passengers and increase the labor costs of railway departments. Chen said the procedure was not complicated and suggested that the most effective way to prevent such inconvenience was to take care of any tickets originally purchased.

"The most effective way is not to lose your tickets. If you take all the related documents and give us the right information, it will only take you about two minutes. But to look after your tickets is really important, because the tickets contain your personal information," Chen said.

Meanwhile, some passengers said it would be difficult for railway staff to distinguish a lost ticket from a replacement ticket. Chen said that passengers don't need to worry about this issue.

"Railway staff check every ticket carefully. When passengers enter the station, board the train, and leave the station, railway staff will check a passenger's ID card several times," Chen said.

The Ministry of Railways said that railway stations can refuse applications for replacement tickets if passengers report a lost ticket too late; a refund has already been issued for their original ticket; or if they lose their replacement tickets.

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