SZ plans Metro fare hikes

Writer: Han Ximin  | Editor: Holly Wang  | From:  | Updated: 2019-02-15

Some residents hoped Metro operators would offer discounted Metro fare prices to daily commuters to encourage more people to take trains instead of increasing fares after authorities announced three plans.

According to a release by the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission on Wednesday, commuters who take Metro trips two times a day will pay an additional 22.88 yuan (US$3.38) and 35.64 yuan in 22 working days each month if they adopt Plan A and Plan B respectively.

Plan A adjusts the starting price from 2 yuan for a trip’s first 4 kilometers to 3 yuan for a trip’s first 6 kilometers, then adds 1 yuan for each section traveled thereafter, starting with two 4-kilometer sections and followed by two 6-kilometer, two 8-kilometer and two 10-kilometer sections.

Plan B adjusts the starting price from the current 2 yuan for a trip’s first 4 kilometers to 3 yuan for a trip’s first 4 kilometers, then adds 1 yuan for each section traveled thereafter, starting with two 4-kilometer sections and followed by two 6-kilometer, two 8-kilometer and two 10-kilometer sections.

The average fares of Plan A and Plan B are 0.52 yuan and 0.81 yuan higher than the present fare, respectively. Each passenger has to pay 51.37 yuan and 54.56 yuan per month, 5.72 yuan and 8.91 yuan more than the present costs, if they take Metro trains 11 times a month, the average number of trips a person took in a month in 2017.

Plan C will differentiate fares during rush hours and off-peak hours. During rush hours, 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., the fare will be increased to 3 yuan for 4 kilometers. During off-peak periods and weekends, the fare is 3 yuan for 6 kilometers. Riders will pay 1 yuan for each additional 4-, 6-, 8- and 10-kilometer section thereafter. Riders have to pay an additional 7.26 yuan per month if Plan C is adopted.

Some netizens voiced their opposition to the fare hike on DT News, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily news app, because Shenzhen’s Metro fare is already high compared to other first-tier cities. Others suggested the city offer discounts like those offered in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

“In Beijing, commuters will enjoy 20 percent off if they spend 100 yuan per month and 50 percent off if they spend 150 yuan. In Guangzhou, commuters can have 40 percent off for every trip after their 16th trip in a month,” a resident surnamed Zhang said in an interview.

In Shanghai, riders can have 1 yuan deducted if they change between Metro and bus within 120 minutes.

“In Shenzhen, Shenzhentong users can enjoy a 5-percent discount and 0.4 yuan a ride if they change to bus service within 90 minutes. The discount is rather small. More and more people didn’t get the benefits because they didn’t use Shenzhentong cards,” Zhang said.

Rail transport statistics and auditing reports by the Shenzhen Price Accreditation Center showed that the average commuting distance on a Shenzhen Metro train per person was 13.26 kilometers in 2017. The post-tax fare was 3.8 yuan, while the operation cost per person was 4.22 yuan. For carrying each person, the Metro company lost 0.42 yuan on average. The Metro company suffered a total loss of 430 million yuan in operation in 2017.

The overhaul of 111 trains scheduled for 2018 through 2020 will increase the operation cost by 1.1 billion yuan to the operator. In 2018, 219 million yuan had been spent on train overhauls. This increased the operation cost by 0.24 yuan per person. The gap between income and cost will be widened considering the fact that the 586-kilometer network of 15 Metro lines will take shape by 2022.

According to the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Shenzhen will introduce a dynamic fare adjustment mechanism by relating Metro fares to labor costs, energy prices, CPI and labor efficiency.

The fare will be adjusted every three years.

Residents can send their suggestions by mail to C3100 Shenzhen Civic Center, Fuzhong No. 3 Road in Futian District or email to szfgwjgc@szpb.gov.cn by the end of the month.