A man in Shanghai has sparked controversy by reportedly offering a service where he charges commuters 5 yuan (approximately 7 US cents) for a seat on the city’s subway during rush hour.
The man, identified by his surname Zhou, resides and works in the Lingang New Zone in the southeastern part of the city. On December 19, he posted on social media about his ability to reserve a seat for others on subway Line 16 during busy morning and evening commutes. Following the post, Zhou was placed under administrative detention but claimed that his statements were merely fabricated to attract online attention, according to the mainland media outlet The Paper. Zhou previously stated that the 5-yuan fee covered the cost of his own subway fare, as reported by the Shanghai Morning Post.
Subway Line 16 is notorious for being crowded during rush hours as it connects the suburban Lingang area to downtown Shanghai. Zhou mentioned that he boards the train at a terminal station, which guarantees him a seat. His typical commute begins at 7:30 a.m., and he disembarks at either Huinan Station or Xinchang Station, near his workplace.
Zhou explained that commuters interested in his service could contact him before his departure from the train. To date, he claims to have provided the service to the same passenger twice. Additionally, two other passengers paid him in advance, but Zhou failed to secure an available seat for them. According to him, demand for evening rush-hour seats is significantly higher than in the morning.
