Chinese New Year: Public Enjoys Smooth Bus Ticket Purchases

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- The public remained unfazed by the seemingly short three-day Chinese New Year weekend celebration as they seized the opportunity to return to their hometowns and visit interesting tourist spots across the country.

While some prefer to drive themselves, public transportation, especially express buses, remains the top choice for those seeking comfort or avoiding the hassle of driving in traffic congestion during the festive season.

Unlike in the past where people had to queue for long hours at counters, the more systematic online ticket sales make it easier to purchase tickets in advance compared to last-minute, as noted by Bernama, attracting many to opt for such transportation.

"I booked my tickets online one month ago because I was scared it will be sold out for the Chinese New Year holidays," said Eva Chong, 21, who will be celebrating the festive season with her family in Kulai, Johor, for a week.

This private college student, met by Bernama at the Terminal Bas Bersepadu (TBS) here, found that online purchasing services greatly assist students like herself in planning their journey back home, besides avoiding being scammed by 'ticket touts'.

Furthermore, this service also provides options to those making last-minute purchases to check available tickets compared to the previous method, which required individuals to visit bus terminals, inquire at each counter, or contact bus companies.

This convenience brought relief to Joana, 28, who only managed to buy the ticket last Wednesday to return to Melaka to celebrate the occasion with her family, even though she only had a one-day leave.

"I bought the ticket online yesterday and luckily there was still one available for me," she said.

Bernama also found that the buses provided to accommodate the increased number of passengers during this Chinese New Year holiday are still sufficient, as several counters indicated that tickets to various popular destinations are still available.

This could be seen as those making last-minute purchases, including Joana, did not encounter any ticket shortages at the bus terminal counters, even with only one day left before celebrating the Chinese community's festivities.

Purchasing at the counter still appears to be the choice for some members of the public, especially among the elderly. However, the situation is not as crowded or requiring them to get in long-queues as before, resulting in faster transactions.

"Although buying online is convenient, it's important to have counter facilities because sometimes the system can go offline, especially when many people are using it simultaneously, particularly during festive seasons."

"I just bought tickets at the counter earlier and luckily there are three tickets left," said Fanisha Abdullah, 25, who is returning to her hometown in Kluang, Johor, with her two children for the holiday.

In addition to locals, many foreign tourists also seize the opportunity to use public transportation to explore interesting destinations outside the Klang Valley, including joining in the fun of celebrating the festivities.

"We are here for six days and currently getting our tickets to visit Melaka, so excited," said Daichi, 19, a tourist from Yokohama, Japan, visiting Malaysia for the first time with three friends.

The Chinese New Year celebration will be observed this Saturday, marking the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, believed to symbolise strength, honour, success and prosperity.

In SHAH ALAM, bus tickets at Terminal 17 in Section 17 for travel throughout the Peninsula for today and tomorrow have been sold out.

Bernama found the atmosphere at the terminal to be lively with the presence of nearly 2,000 people who were eager to return to their hometowns.

Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Director of Urban Transportation Noraznizam Alias said that as of yesterday, a total of 8,160 tickets had been sold and the number is expected to continue increasing due to the recently started school holidays.,,

"For this year's Chinese New Year celebration, it is estimated that there will be no significant increase in bus ticket sales compared to last year, possibly because the school holiday only starts tomorrow (Feb 9) and some higher education institution students are currently in the exam week," Noraznizam said when contacted by Bernama.

Private sector worker, Jacky Tan, 30, said he bought bus tickets since the first day they were sold because he was worried they would sell out.

"Besides, I don't want to drive and get stuck in traffic, which will definitely be congested during every festive season. Taking the bus is convenient and allows for rest. Nine hours on the bus, I can sleep, if I drive myself, it will surely be tiring," said Jacky, who was due to return to Alor Setar, Kedah.

-- BERNAMA