Ticket scalping must stop!

Ticket scalping must stop!

From Suara Karya

I went to Jatinegara railway station on July 26 to buy a business class ticket to Semarang and was surprised to learn the ticket box was closed only a few minutes after it was opened, and that ticket scalpers were freely offering railway tickets at much higher prices.

I had a similar experience at Gambir railway station. I could only buy tickets without seats, because those with seats had been sold out. In fact, scalpers had a lot of tickets with seats and offered them to would-be passengers at high prices. As I needed tickets urgently for my three nieces who had an important program to attend at their campuses in Semarang, I bought three tickets from scalpers at Rp 60,000 each, a Rp 15,000 markup on the original price of only Rp 45,000.

Just a short time ago, railway company PT KAI took strict measures against scalping and some insiders. During this brief period, would-be passengers could buy tickets peacefully at the counter. Unfortunately, scalping is now back with a vengeance.

It is time for PT KAI to put things in order in our railway service. Scalping must be eradicated, services must be improved, security must be better maintained. Given that many of the trains are already old, good service would compensate passengers.

RETNO SUKESTI, Jakarta