IDs required for long-distance bus trips in China

China's Transport Ministry has announced that ID cards will be compulsory for intercity and interprovincial buses starting from March 1st, 2017.

The same requirement for ship passengers in China was enacted on January 10th.

According to the new regulation, when buying a ticket, passengers will be required to show their ID card and get a ticket with personal information on it, and one person can only buy one ticket only.

Visas, residence permits, passports and other cards with personal information can be used by foreigners to buy long-distance bus tickets.

For young children not required to buy a ticket, ID cards will still be needed to get a free ticket.

Those who help others to buy tickets must provide the actual buyer's ID as well as their own.

People booking tickets online or by phone should also have their ID numbers.

If ID cards are lost, passengers can go to the police station at the bus depot to have their IDs verified.

When getting into the coach, ID cards and tickets with personal information are required to be brought forth.

Otherwise, passengers will not be allowed to board.

Passengers who lose their tickets will be able to get those tickets reissued for free.

ID cards became compulsory for trains and high-speed rail in 2010 and 2011, respectively.