NOW it takes less time and less money to go to Guangzhou by bus, since a Shenzhen transportation company has recently been approved by the Guangdong Provincial Transportation Department to offer app-based shuttle bus services to Guangzhou, the Daily Sunshine reported.

People who need to travel between Shenzhen and Guangzhou will be able to get on a bus at the nearest location after making an order on the “Wangyue Bashi” WeChat account, according to the Daily report.

“It is very convenient,” said a resident surnamed Qiu in Bao’an District. Qiu placed an order for a trip to Guangzhou last week via WeChat. “Before the app service was launched, I would have to go to the Bao’an Long-distance Bus Terminal to take a bus to Guangzhou. Now I can get on a bus at my nearest location,” Qiu said.

Qiu was able to board the bus with his photo ID and the barcode of his e-ticket. “I can easily ask for a refund if I cancel the trip or change my travel time online, which is very convenient,” he said.

A passenger will also have to go through a security check on such buses due to safety concerns, the news report said.

A single trip between Shenzhen and Guangzhou now costs 25 yuan (US$3.68), about one-third of the fare of traditional bus service.

According to a spokesperson of the Shenzhen app-based bus company, the service was launched in July and now shuttle services to Foshan, Huizhou and Dongguan are also available.

The Shenzhen Siweimei Bus Transportation Co. is the first intercity app-based bus service provider. Previously, only chartered bus services within Shenzhen are offered by a number of companies. Dada Bus, a shuttle bus service app operated by Shenzhen Liuchi Technology, is one of the first companies to offer app-based bus services.

Users of Dada Bus usually reserve a place on a shuttle bus to ensure that each customer has a seat. Customers are charged at a rate of 0.4 yuan per km. Dada Bus optimizes its bus routes and pick-up locations and is permitted to use special vehicle lanes on some roads to minimize travel time.

Dada Bus has already launched more than 2,000 routes in 13 Chinese cities including Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing, and it has operated in 30 first- and second-tier cities by the end of 2015.

(Editor Lily A)