Buses in China Now Require ID to Travel
By Matthew Bossons
March has arrived and with it a slew of new regulations. For starters, a smoking ban and new electronic scooter registration system have launched in Shanghai and, on the national level, intercity and interprovincial bus travelers will now be required to show ID when purchasing tickets.
The no-ID-no-travel regulation came into effect back in 2010 for trains, 2011 for high-speed railways and January of this year for passenger ships. Today, long-haul buses followed suit.
What do I need to travel?
All intercity and interprovincial bus riders, including foreigners, will now be bound by the following rules:
1) Identification (passports, visas and residence permits will work) must be given both when purchasing a bus ticket and when boarding the vehicle.
2) Although young children are not required to purchase a fare, they will still need to have ID to receive their free ticket.
3) Only one ticket can be purchased per person.
4) If you are helping a friend buy a ticket, you will be required to present both your ID and that of the travelers.
5) Tickets booked by phone or online will need an ID number.
6) If you lose your ID, you will need to visit the police booth at the bus station to have their identification verified.
While this may sound like a bit of a headache, you are probably already used to flashing ID every time you hop on a train or plane, so it shouldn’t take long to get used to. And on the bright side, if you lose your ticket you will be printed another one for free – since it’s, you know, linked to your ID number.
Now, intrepid reader, armed with this new knowledge, go forth and travel!
[Images via Wikimedia]
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