Xinjiang orders real-name bus ticket purchases

Police and transport authorities in China's far western Xinjiang region have ordered bus ticket purchases under real names starting next month.

As of Sept. 1, people need to use one of 25 types of ID cards when buying tickets at 119 long-distance bus stations across the vast Uygur autonomous region, the regional departments of public security and transport announced.

Passengers' ID and bus information will be printed on the tickets and also be uploaded to local police authorities, the announcement said.

When having tickets checked, passengers need to show their ID cards to demonstrate authenticity of identities shown both on the ID cards and bus tickets.

Currently, passengers need ID cards when purchasing bus tickets, but there are no ID information printed on the tickets. They are also allowed to buy several tickets for the same coach using only one ID card.