Are 9-seater vehicles exempt from highway tolls during holidays?
2 Answers
No, they are not exempt. According to China's regulations on highway toll exemptions during statutory holidays, the scope of toll-free vehicles is limited to passenger vehicles with no more than 7 seats and gasoline-powered motorcycles allowed on highways. Trucks and passenger vehicles with 8 or more seats are not included in the toll-free policy and will still be charged. Additional information: According to the newly revised "Classification of Toll Highway Vehicles" by the Ministry of Transport, starting from January 1, 2020, 8-seater and 9-seater buses have been reclassified from Class II to Class I buses, and they are uniformly charged as Class I vehicles.
I often pay attention to the highway toll-free policies during holidays, especially the regulations on the number of passenger seats. Generally, the national holiday highway toll exemption only applies to small ordinary passenger vehicles with 7 seats or fewer, aiming to encourage family travel with smaller vehicles and reduce traffic pressure. Although 9-seater vehicles fall under the category of small passenger vehicles, the seat count exceeds the 7-seat standard, so they are typically not included in the toll-free policy. Once, I drove a 9-seater business van on a business trip during a holiday and was charged the full highway toll, which made me realize how crucial the seat count is. It's advisable to check the approved seating capacity on your vehicle's registration certificate before traveling or consult the latest announcements via the WeChat public account "China Highway Network." Safety comes first—don’t overlook policy details just to save money.
