Can bus tickets be rescheduled?
3 Answers
Long-distance bus tickets can be rescheduled. According to the relevant provisions of the "Rules for Passenger Transport by Automobile": Article 29: If passengers cannot take the bus on the date and time specified on the ticket, they can apply for a rescheduling two hours before the departure time of the scheduled bus, with rescheduling limited to once. Rescheduling is not allowed within two hours before departure, but the ticket can be refunded, subject to the refund fee as stipulated. Article 30: If passengers lose their tickets, they should purchase new tickets to board the bus. If the lost ticket is reported in advance and later found, the original ticket fare will be refunded without any refund fee, provided that the ticket is verified to be valid within the agreed time. If the ticket is lost during the journey, passengers may continue to the destination station with valid proof.
I'm someone who frequently takes long-distance buses for business trips. Last autumn, I bought a ticket to Guangzhou but had to work overtime unexpectedly and couldn't make it, so I thought about trying to change the ticket. I hurried back to the station, where there weren't many people, and asked the ticket seller. She said non-discounted tickets could be changed, but there was a 15 yuan service fee, and the new time slot had to have available seats; promotional tickets couldn't be changed at all. Luckily, I managed to switch to an afternoon bus, and the whole process took just half an hour, saving me the cost of buying a new ticket. Later, I checked and found that rules vary by company: some apps allow self-service changes, which is more convenient, or charge double the change fee during peak times. I'd advise friends not to panic if their plans change—just bring your ID and original ticket and handle it early to avoid hassle.
I've handled various ticketing issues, and changing a bus ticket depends on the specific situation. In most cases, it's possible, but fees vary: regular tickets usually incur a service charge of around 10-30 yuan, with longer distances costing more. Discounted or group tickets may not allow changes. There are also time restrictions—generally, changes must be made at least two hours before departure or on the same day; otherwise, the ticket becomes void. The new schedule must have available seats, or you'll have to refund and repurchase. Nowadays, many stations support online APP changes, which are faster but heavily reliant on internet connectivity. I've encountered passengers who missed their buses due to late changes, so if your plans change, prioritize consulting official channels early to avoid last-minute hassles.
