2 Reprimanded After Selling 'Seat-Holding' Services on Shanghai Metro

Two young people were reprimanded for posting online ads offering paid "seat-holding" services on Shanghai's subway, Shanghai police said on Thursday.

The individuals, a 19-year-old woman surnamed Guo and a 24-year-old man surnamed Weng, posted the ads out of curiosity and did not complete any transactions, the police said. Both were formally warned.

The case came to light after netizens shared screenshots from the second-hand trading platform Xianyu, showing listings offering to "hold" subway seats for paying passengers.

One post offered to "hold" a seat on Line 9 for 1.99 yuan (28 US cents), with the seller boarding at a terminal station during the morning rush and giving up the seat at a designated stop.

According to Xinmin Evening News, numerous similar listings were found on the platform, mostly on Lines 2, 9, 10, 13 and 18. Sellers generally boarded near starting stations and offered to transfer seats to paying passengers along the route.

Shanghai Metro said paid seat-holding is prohibited and urged commuters to report violations. Staff or police may intervene if necessary. Xianyu said it monitors user listings and will remove content confirmed to be in violation.

Yang Min, a lawyer at Hubei Chisheng Law Firm, said charging for subway seats constitutes illegal profiteering from public resources, according to the report.

"Paid seat-holding deprives other passengers of fair access, can worsen congestion, and may create safety risks," Yang added. She also warned that buyers and sellers face financial loss and personal data risks, the report said.