How much does it cost to apply for a bus card? Analysis of popular topics across the Internet and list of costs
Recently, bus card application fees have become one of the hot topics on social platforms. With the popularity of urban public transportation, bus card policies, deposit standards and discounts in various places have triggered widespread discussions. This article will combine the hot content of the entire network in the past 10 days to sort out the bus card application fees and related policies in various places for you.
1. Comparison of bus card application fee data

| city | Card type | Deposit/cost of production | Minimum recharge limit | Preferential policies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Transportation Union Card | 20 yuan (refundable) | 10 yuan | 50% off on subways and buses |
| Shanghai | public transport card | 20 yuan (non-refundable) | 10 yuan | Transfer discount of 1 yuan |
| Guangzhou | Yangchengtong | 15 yuan (refundable) | 20 yuan | 40% off after 15 times in the month |
| Shenzhen | Shenzhen Tong | 20 yuan (refundable) | 50 yuan | 20% off on public transportation |
| Chengdu | Tianfutong | 10 yuan (refundable) | 10 yuan | Free transfer within 2 hours |
2. Hotly discussed issues among netizens
1.Disputes over the reasonableness of the deposit: Some netizens reported that the deposit standards for bus cards in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have not been adjusted for many years, but the cost of card production has actually dropped, and they believe that the deposit should be reduced or cancelled.
2.The impact of electronic bus cards: The popularity of electronic bus cards (such as "ride codes") such as Alipay and WeChat has made young people pay more attention to the cost-effectiveness of physical cards. Data shows that the usage rate of electronic bus cards in Hangzhou has reached 62%.
3.Special group discounts: The application procedures and discounts for student cards and senior citizen cards have become new hot topics. For example, the Xi'an Senior Citizen Card requires an annual insurance premium of 18 yuan, which triggered discussion.
3. New policy trends for bus cards in 2024
1.Popularity of joint transportation cards: 327 cities across the country have realized interoperability of joint transportation cards, but some cities still charge inter-regional service fees (for example, Chongqing charges an additional 1 yuan per time for out-of-region cards).
2.Convenient deposit refund: Nanjing and other places have piloted the "online deposit refund" service, shortening the card refund cycle from 7 days to instant payment.
3.Carbon credit incentives: Shenzhen, Kunming and other cities have launched "bus card carbon accounts", which can be redeemed for 5 yuan recharge coupons after 20 rides per month.
4. In-depth analysis of processing costs
| Cost composition | Proportion | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Card production costs | 35% | Contains chips and PVC materials |
| System maintenance fee | 28% | POS machine upgrade, etc. |
| Labor service fee | 22% | Outlet operating costs |
| Other expenses | 15% | Including invoice printing, etc. |
5. Expert advice and user selection
1.high frequency users: It is recommended to apply for a physical card. Long-term use can offset the deposit cost (for example, Beijing has an annual discount of about 480 yuan).
2.temporary travel: It is recommended to use an electronic bus card to avoid the trouble of returning the card.
3.Cross-city commuting: Prioritize the joint transportation card, and pay attention to the out-of-town service fee policy.
According to data from the Ministry of Transport, the number of public bus cards nationwide will reach 420 million in 2023, but there will be a significant diversion of electronic payments. In the future, bus card application fees may show a reform direction of "lowering basic fees + subdividing value-added services". It is recommended that users check the latest policies through the official APP before applying. Some cities such as Suzhou have implemented a "scan the QR code and receive" virtual bus card service.
check the details
check the details