SNAFU: ID Required for Train Ticket Purchase
Jun 17, 2011, 4:15 pm
#91
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
2) I believe it is not legal for anybody other than authorized immigration agents with RFID readers, to scan a passport. No scanning for commercial uses. Remember the passport is not your property, it is the property of your government...and subject to those rules and those of international agreements.
I personally would not want my passport to be scanned by my Chinese Big Brother except where absolutely required--at immigration. (Though my passport is actually RFID-less ^).
The real silliness is even requiring Real-ID for bullet trains whether at machine or window, especially for short-haul seat tickets.
Jun 17, 2011, 8:11 pm
#92
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: HHonors Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, OZ*G, AA Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 1,874
Oh. The more you know.
Then the next best thing to hope for is that they tone this down or give foreigners an ID that can be read by the ticket machines. It's not so much of a problem at Shanghai West (I've yet to see a line at the ticket counter there), but leaving from Shanghai/Hongqiao stations it's becoming a total pain to stand in line for a short run.
Then the next best thing to hope for is that they tone this down or give foreigners an ID that can be read by the ticket machines. It's not so much of a problem at Shanghai West (I've yet to see a line at the ticket counter there), but leaving from Shanghai/Hongqiao stations it's becoming a total pain to stand in line for a short run.
Jun 19, 2011, 7:54 am
#93
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
1) Not all countries are issuing RFID passports.
2) I believe it is not legal for anybody other than authorized immigration agents with RFID readers, to scan a passport. No scanning for commercial uses. Remember the passport is not your property, it is the property of your government...and subject to those rules and those of international agreements.
I personally would not want my passport to be scanned by my Chinese Big Brother except where absolutely required--at immigration. (Though my passport is actually RFID-less ^).
The real silliness is even requiring Real-ID for bullet trains whether at machine or window, especially for short-haul seat tickets.
2) I believe it is not legal for anybody other than authorized immigration agents with RFID readers, to scan a passport. No scanning for commercial uses. Remember the passport is not your property, it is the property of your government...and subject to those rules and those of international agreements.
I personally would not want my passport to be scanned by my Chinese Big Brother except where absolutely required--at immigration. (Though my passport is actually RFID-less ^).
The real silliness is even requiring Real-ID for bullet trains whether at machine or window, especially for short-haul seat tickets.
Jun 19, 2011, 8:22 am
#94
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 819
And your passport would probably be useless if you do so.
Jun 19, 2011, 8:37 am
#95
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Actually, no. RFID-chipped passports where the scan doesn't work can have the information manually entered, so they aren't useless. The chips have been known to malfunction for reasons other than being smashed with a hammer (or fried in a microwave)--it's not a perfect technology. Whether the issuing country would find the hammer-smashed chip amusing is a different story...
Jun 19, 2011, 10:21 am
#96
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 819
Actually, no. RFID-chipped passports where the scan doesn't work can have the information manually entered, so they aren't useless. The chips have been known to malfunction for reasons other than being smashed with a hammer (or fried in a microwave)--it's not a perfect technology. Whether the issuing country would find the hammer-smashed chip amusing is a different story...
Jun 19, 2011, 12:24 pm
#97
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
Have you read threads in the Travel Safety/Security section of FT? Many people here do this regularly, disable their RFID chips. The passport can still be used, just manually.
Jun 19, 2011, 1:45 pm
#98
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 819
Yes, but you don't tell the customs person you damaged the RFID chip. You just say "gee, I don't know what happene. It was fine on my last trip." As jiejie said, they can become defective all by themselves.
Have you read threads in the Travel Safety/Security section of FT? Many people here do this regularly, disable their RFID chips. The passport can still be used, just manually.
Have you read threads in the Travel Safety/Security section of FT? Many people here do this regularly, disable their RFID chips. The passport can still be used, just manually.
Jun 19, 2011, 3:04 pm
#99
Ambassador: China
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
which is worth the fee if you travel a lot international.
http://globalentry.gov/
Jun 19, 2011, 3:16 pm
#100
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SIN / SFO
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,215
If the rfid is disabled, chances are you couldn't use the Global Entry Program,
which is worth the fee if you travel a lot international.
http://globalentry.gov/
which is worth the fee if you travel a lot international.
http://globalentry.gov/
Jun 27, 2011, 9:56 am
#101
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: KIX, ITM, UKB, YVR
Programs: Star Alliance - AC
Posts: 2,356
Vigilance waning
Today we purchased two tickets and we had to show our passports. Lady entered the whole passport id properly.
Then we went to the xray machine, operator was too busy playing a video game so he just told us to go through.
Then the ticket and id verifier was talking on a cell phone and smoking so he just waved us through.
Vigilance!!!!
Then we went to the xray machine, operator was too busy playing a video game so he just told us to go through.
Then the ticket and id verifier was talking on a cell phone and smoking so he just waved us through.
Vigilance!!!!
Jun 27, 2011, 11:29 am
#102
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,045
For kicks, when I bought my train ticket earlier today, I provided the ticket seller guy with my passport number only (hand written) and he was cool with this. (I brought along my actual passport as a back-up plan, but I just wanted to test the waters.)
Jun 27, 2011, 12:32 pm
#103
Ambassador: China
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
Programs: UA AA CO
Posts: 4,836
Would that work in Beijing, or maybe just Shanghai?
Jun 27, 2011, 12:54 pm
#104
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,045
Jun 28, 2011, 8:18 am
#105
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
arrival time at train stations
Today we purchased two tickets and we had to show our passports. Lady entered the whole passport id properly.
Then we went to the xray machine, operator was too busy playing a video game so he just told us to go through.
Then the ticket and id verifier was talking on a cell phone and smoking so he just waved us through.
Vigilance!!!!
Then we went to the xray machine, operator was too busy playing a video game so he just told us to go through.
Then the ticket and id verifier was talking on a cell phone and smoking so he just waved us through.
Vigilance!!!!