People aged 60 and over in Jining, East China's Shandong province, can take buses for free starting Jan 1, 2021, regardless of where they come from, local media reported.

The policy applies to the entire province, meaning seniors can also take intercity buses to other places in Shandong for free.

According to the Jining Intercity Public Transport Co, ID cards, passports, and special passes for the elderly issued by local governments are valid for use as bus passes. Bus drivers will check the documents as passengers board the bus.

People aged between 60 and 64, who used to enjoy a 50 percent discount, can now upgrade their bus passes and withdraw their balance.

Around 150 elderly people applied for bus passes within a period of just two hours on the morning of Jan 1, a worker at the Jining North Bus Station said.

In addition, a service center equipped with a sofa, phone chargers, and walking sticks has been built at the Jining North Intercity Bus Station.

Huang Junlian, a 63-year-old, planned to travel to Qufu, a county-level city in Jining, after receiving her new bus pass. "The city is developing so fast and I want to have a look at it," Huang said while sipping a cup of hot ginger tea at the service center.