China will pilot "quiet carriages" services on the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway starting from December 23, triggering heated discussions among netizens, with some saying that not all individual behaviors can be regulated.
According to China Railway, "quiet carriages" can provide passengers with a more tranquil and comfortable environment. Passengers who are willing to abide by the code of conduct can choose "quiet carriages" when buying tickets, which will be piloted as early as December 23.
"You can't make a lot of noise in the carriage or talk loudly. If you want to make a call, you need to leave the carriage and make the call at the junction of the train," said Zhao Fei, secretary of the board of directors of Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway Co., Ltd..
If someone does not comply with these regulations, service staff will promptly advise them to ensure the rights of other passengers, according to Zhao.
Some netizens expressed their support for the "quiet carriages" as it means they will not be troubled by actions such as making phone calls, playing music and videos loudly in the carriage, and crying babies as well.
Others said that people who want a quiet environment should not be treated differently, and it is reasonable to be expected to keep quiet in the cabin. Instead, "noisy carriages" should be set up, and the crew's management of non-compliant passengers should be strengthened to make it clear to them that setting up "quiet carriages" does not mean you can be "noisy elsewhere."
Under China's Regulations on Urban Public Transportation Management (Draft for Comment), it is forbidden to disturb order of a train ride.
But many netizens say these problems cannot be managed entirely through regulations. The key to solving them should be to guide people to practice good manners in public places, and keeping quiet in carriages should be a rule everyone follows.
Besides, the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway will also introduce new service measures such as floating prices of tickets, and implement a market-based fare mechanism with flexible discounts to provide passengers with more options.
According to reports, Sydney, Australia, launched "quiet carriage" services in public transport in 2012. Passengers must set their phones to silent mode or turn them off in the compartment. Conversations are not allowed in the compartment and passengers must wear headphones if they want to listen to music. Train station announcements are not broadcast during these journeys.
However, the "silent carriage" services in Australia received many complaints, as some people believe that blind people cannot get accurate station information in such cars.
