Beijing-Tianjin high-speed train has caused 30% decrease in intercity bus transport

Yang suggests that it is an advisable choice for the long-distance bus transport system to avoid direct competition with the "powerful railway transport system." "According to the plan for future development, the long-distance bus transport system will turn to small counties instead of big cities, which are already heavily covered by railway networks. Those small counties might not be the strongest economically, but the travel demands of the people there will be strong enough to support the profitable operation of long-distance buses, meanwhile, it will also be a boon to the local residents who will have access to convenient bus trips and save themselves the trouble of having to buy train tickets in big cities hundreds of kilometers away," said Yang.

Yang goes on to point out that for the bus lines that are already in operation, applying for an extension might be a way to expand their reach. For example, buses from Beijing to Tianjin are allowed to stop at only one station in Tianjin, these buses can apply to stop at more stations so that they can be more appealing to passengers of different destinations.

One practitioner in this industry suggests that, Beijing should pay more attention to the connection between railways, public transit system and the long-distance buses with reasonable planning with regards to the location of stations in order to confront the impact of high-speed railways; and this will also be an effective way of relieving transport pressures by introducing a more convenient transfer network.