The Chinese Lunar New Year travel season, otherwise known as chunyun (or "the Spring Festival mass transport") is arguably the largest human migration on earth, something that results annually in eternally long lines, overcrowded stations and ticket shortages. Spending two or three hours in line for a train ticket is not unusual for most; precious time that students frantically cramming for final exams do not have to spare.

"If I go to buy tickets on my own, it takes me 4 yuan ($0.59) in transportation and several hours of standing in the cold outside," said Wang Jing, a second-year English grad student in Beijing.

And in accordance with market demand, campuses across the nation are plastered with flyers by enterprising college kids reading "looking to earn some pocket money, will to wait in line for your train ticket for only 5 yuan."

Most classmates warmly welcome these "student runners," believing their prices reasonable and a savvy way to make some scratch.
"They save us time and transportation cost while making a little cash. It is a win-win business," said Wang.

Although many universities provide free train ticket service prior to the summer and winter holidays, no matter how far away your destination, usually the only tickets they offer are hard seats or the standing ticket, a painful last resort. Those who want the luxury of a sleeper have no choice but go to the railway station in person and line up. However the question remains; are these student runners just run-of-the-mill scalpers?

"Buying that many at one time is just unfair to others waiting in line," said a representative from the Ministry of Railway surnamed Liang. "It denies others to tickets they should be entitled to."

"Also, these students are charging a fee on top of the ticket price, which is against the law," he added.

As early as in 2008, it was reported by the Henan-based Orient Today that two students at Zhongyuan University of Technology were caught by local police for buying 126 tickets for schoolmates, charging anywhere between a 2-5 yuan service surcharge.

Although the local railway bureau finally decided to issue them a warning, the news brought attention to the legality of running tickets.

Zhao, a tourism management junior at Wuhan University of Science and Technology and "student runner," said that it is the first time he heard charging 5 yuan is illegal.

"Compared with their dealings with railroad insiders and the 50 yuan they charge, I physically line up at the station with everyone else, and my fee is just as high as charged by any regular train ticket outlet."

But according to the law, charging extra for a ticket, no matter how miniscule the fee, is illegal.

Shen Yue, a lawyer with Beijing Huicheng Law Firm told the Global Times that the amount charged and number of tickets sold also determines how serious the punishment will be.

"According to relevant laws, individuals who buy rail tickets and then sell them higher than the buying price for the purpose of gaining profit is forbidden, and will be punished by the police according to the scale of the deals," he said.

Shen suggests students find other ways to earn some cash for the holidays, perhaps something less legally questionable.