Ticket Purchasing
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Master Hacker Explains the Secret Logic Behind China’s 12306 Train Ticket System
A Weibo discussion analyzing China’s 12306 railway ticketing system has gone viral. The analysis focuses on maximizing revenue per available seat-kilometer (RASK). It suggests the waitlist (houbu) isn’t a passive queue but informs capacity allocation, much like ride-hailing requests. The system prioritizes filling entire routes, potentially making segmented tickets unavailable. Waitlist usage benefits both passengers (fairness) and the railway (data-driven capacity adjustments). Timely waitlist submissions optimize operations and increase ticket booking probability.
