高鐵售票兩地見分別 折射融合過程考驗多

<轉載自2018年5月15日 明報 社評>

高鐵香港段預計9月通車，當局披露售票安排。港鐵將發售來往香港與內地18站點的跨境車票，然而由於兩地售票系統不同，乘客前往其他內地城市，要麼另付手續費找代理商幫忙，要麼在內地車站買票轉車。有關情况對市民乘搭高鐵前往較為遙遠或「冷門」的內地城市，當然說不上方便，惟某程度亦反映兩地制度運作有別，無可避免影響交流融合。最近中央談到兩地交流合作，提到互相尊重、換位思考、尊重兩制、讓香港市民有獲得感，高鐵售票安排是一個例子，說明推進融合必會遇上種種困難，兩地部門應本着互惠互利原則，設法拆牆鬆綁減少隔閡。

內地購票採用實名制 兩地售票系統未接通

高鐵香港段通車後，預計每日開出114對短途列車，來往西九龍和福田、深圳北、虎門、廣州南。另外，每日西九龍站也會開出13對長途列車，直達北京、上海、昆明、桂林、貴陽、石家莊、鄭州、武漢、長沙、杭州、南昌、福州、廈門及汕頭等14個內地城市。高鐵西九站大堂將設28個售票櫃位，處理購票取票等事宜，港鐵會預留其中5個櫃位，辦理並非以香港為始發或終點的內地段車票（亦稱「異地票」）。這些櫃位是由內地營運商代辦訂票，他們會向顧客收取手續費。

在內地，「異地票」泛指車票發售站與票面乘車站不在同一城市的車票，例如在深圳購買由北京到大連的車票，便是購買「異地票」。港鐵表示，西九站無法出售「異地票」，原因是內地與香港售票系統不同。平情而論，目前香港段涵蓋的18個內地城市，相信是本港大多數高鐵搭客的目的地，惟總有一些市民會選擇前往較為冷門或遙遠的內地城市，例如西安或拉薩等。對他們來說，不能在西九站直接訂購「異地票」，始終不夠方便。

香港與內地售票系統未能接通， 與內地採用實名制有密切關係。旅客除了可以在內地任何一個聯網售票車站購買「異地票」，也可以透過網上系統訂票，問題是內地幾乎所有網上服務，諸如開設銀行戶口等，都必須提供內地手機號碼，實名申請，港人北上慣用的一卡兩號，由於不是實名登記，無法派上用場。以網上訂購高鐵車票為例，本港旅客需要先在內地官網開設帳戶，輸入姓名資料固然必須用簡體字，之後還要攜帶證件，親到內地車站辦理驗證手續，訂購系統也不接受「車站取票時才付款」，使用者需要一早設定好以支付寶、內地網上銀行戶口，又或本港指定銀聯雙幣信用卡付款。

換位思考互惠互利 兩地交流樹立標竿

香港市民沒有內地銀行戶口和內地手機號碼，若非親身到內地車站購買「異地票」，差不多一定要透過商業網站或內地營辦商代訂，這些公司會收取手續費，每張車票隨時要多付50元或以上。相比之下，去年底旅客在內地車站購買「異地票」，已不再需要支付手續費。現在港鐵提早展開期望管理，交代現階段未能接通全國高鐵售票網絡，反映當局意識到這是不理想狀况，然而有關問題的出現，其實正是一國兩制之下，兩地制度具體操作有別所致，各方可以視之為兩地加強交流融合過程必然出現的考驗，沒必要急於爭辯「誰對誰不公」。

針無兩頭利，「兩制」有利保障香港獨特性，惟有時也會成為樊籬，妨礙香港與內地交流。兩地合作應以互惠共贏為原則，不考慮實際操作困難，什麼都只顧自己，一定要別人遷就，並非成熟表現。內地部門不應「以我為尊」，港方也不應抱着「大香港心態」。處理高鐵「異地票」問題需要實事求是。港鐵或特區政府若能爭取內地營運商免收「異地票」手續票，對港方當然最理想，然而在商言而言，要代訂車票的中介代理商做生意不收錢，恐怕也不太現實。不過特區政府應與內地磋商，了解兩地售票系統不相容的技術問題，是否真的無法克服。

中央提出港澳融入國家發展大局，力推粵港澳大灣區建設，支持逐步讓港澳居民在內地生活享有「國民待遇」，反映中央希望為港人北上發展提供更多便利，倘若香港與內地融合遇上矛盾阻力，有時還可能需要在國家層面協調解決。近日國務院港澳辦主任張曉明引述中央領導談話，提到內地與香港交流合作的4點指示，包括既要強調一國也要尊重兩制，互相尊重換位思考，多聽特區政府意見，注重改善民生，讓市民有實實在在的獲得感。高鐵「異地票」安排雖屬小事，然而若能打通兩地售票系統，無疑是便民利民之舉。有指港鐵曾爭取中國鐵路總公司授權，在本港發售「異地票」，惟未能成事。如果技術成本等問題太大，港方「換位思考」，當然不能強人所難，惟特區政府亦可視乎具體情况，看看是否有地方需要找中央幫忙協調。

Difference in ticketing system is a test to be faced in the course of integration

THE Hong Kong section of the Express Rail Link (XRL) is expected to go into operation in September, and the ticketing arrangements have been disclosed. The MTR will be selling cross-border tickets for trips between Hong Kong and 18 destinations on the mainland. However, to go to other cities on the mainland, passengers will have to pay a service fee to an agent or purchase the ticket at mainland stations. To some extent this arrangement reflects that the interactions and integration between Hong Kong and the mainland will inevitably be affected by the differences in the systems and the ways things are run in the two regions. The central government has recently mentioned mutual respect, putting oneself in the other's shoes, respecting two systems, and letting Hong Kong people have a sense of gain when talking about exchange and cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland. The ticketing arrangement of the XRL is an example of the many difficulties faced in the course of integration. Concerned authorities in both regions should do their best to remove restrictions and reduce barriers by adhering to the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity.

When the XRL Hong Kong section begins to operate, there will be 28 ticketing counters in the West Kowloon Terminal concourse where tickets can be purchased and collected. Five counters will be reserved for selling tickets of mainland routes of which Hong Kong is neither the departure station nor the destination (also known as "remote tickets"). These counters will be used by mainland operators to serve passengers who want to book "remote tickets" and a service fee will be charged. According to the MTR, "remote tickets" cannot be sold at the West Kowloon Terminal because the mainland and Hong Kong have two different ticketing systems.

The fact that the MTR company has started to manage expectations so early shows that they are aware that the scenario is far from ideal. However, the problem has arisen because of the difference in the specific operation of the ticketing systems in Hong Kong and the mainland under one country, two systems. It could be seen as a test that will appear sooner or later in the course of strengthening exchange and integration between the two sides. The problem of "remote tickets" should be dealt with practically. The SAR government should negotiate with the mainland to find out whether it is really impossible to overcome the technical problem in terms of the incompatibility between the ticketing systems of the two sides.

The central government has been urging Hong Kong and Macao to integrate into the country's overall development. It has been vigorously promoting the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and supporting the idea that Hong Kong and Macao residents who reside on the mainland should gradually enjoy "national treatment". These show that the central government wants to make it more convenient for Hong Kong people who go north for further development. To resolve conflicts and to overcome obstructions in the course of the integration between Hong Kong and the mainland, coordination at the national level may sometimes be necessary. Recently Zhang Xiaoming, the director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, has quoted leaders in the central government on 4 points of instruction on the exchange and cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong. They include: respecting two systems while emphasising one country; mutual respect and putting oneself in the other's shoes; listen more to the opinions of the two SAR governments; attaching importance to improving people's livelihood so that the citizens have a concrete sense of gain. Although the XRL's arrangement regarding "remote tickets" is a minor issue, it will nevertheless be a measure that brings convenience and advantage to the people if the ticketing systems of the two sides can be connected.

Sources said that the MTR had requested the China Railway Corporation to authorise it to sell "remote tickets" in Hong Kong but to no avail. If the technical problem or the question of cost is too difficult, "putting oneself in the shoes of the other", Hong Kong should not, of course, force itself on the mainland. However, depending on the specific circumstances, the SAR government can also see if there is anything that needs coordination from the central government.

高鐵售票兩地見分別 折射融合過程考驗多

高鐵香港段預計9月通車，當局披露售票安排。港鐵將發售來往香港與內地18站點的跨境車票，然而乘客前往其他內地城市，要麼另付手續費找代理商幫忙，要麼在內地車站買票轉車。有關情况某程度反映兩地制度運作有別，無可避免影響交流融合。最近中央談到兩地交流合作，提到互相尊重、換位思考、尊重兩制、讓香港市民有獲得感，高鐵售票安排是一個例子，說明推進融合必會遇上種種困難，兩地部門應本着互惠互利原則，設法拆牆鬆綁減少隔閡。

高鐵香港段通車後，高鐵西九站大堂將設28個售票櫃位，處理購票取票等事宜，港鐵會預留其中5個櫃位，辦理並非以香港為始發或終點的內地段車票（亦稱「異地票」）。這些櫃位是由內地營運商代辦訂票，他們會向顧客收取手續費。港鐵表示，西九站無法出售「異地票」，原因是內地與香港售票系統不同。

港鐵提早展開期望管理，反映當局意識到這是不理想狀况，然而有關問題的出現，其實正是一國兩制之下，兩地制度具體操作有別所致，各方可以視之為兩地加強交流融合過程必然出現的考驗。處理高鐵「異地票」問題需要實事求是。特區政府應與內地磋商，了解兩地售票系統不相容的技術問題，是否真的無法克服。

中央提出港澳融入國家發展大局，力推粵港澳大灣區建設，支持逐步讓港澳居民在內地生活享有「國民待遇」，反映中央希望為港人北上發展提供更多便利，倘若香港與內地融合遇上矛盾阻力，有時還可能需要在國家層面協調解決。近日國務院港澳辦主任張曉明引述中央領導談話，提到內地與香港交流合作的4點指示，包括既要強調一國也要尊重兩制，互相尊重換位思考，多聽特區政府意見，注重改善民生，讓市民有實實在在的獲得感。高鐵「異地票」安排雖屬小事，然而若能打通兩地售票系統，無疑是便民利民之舉。

有指港鐵曾爭取中國鐵路總公司授權，在本港發售「異地票」，惟未能成事。如果技術成本等問題太大，港方「換位思考」，當然不能強人所難，惟特區政府亦可視乎具體情况，看看是否有地方需要找中央幫忙協調。