Unique bus trip sees China student spend just US$110 on fares from Beijing to Hong Kong
University student with fascination for public transport travels from north to south of country, inspires people online to indulge their sense of freedom
A 21-year-old Chinese man who travelled from Beijing to Hong Kong in 13 days by taking buses and spending only 800 yuan (US$110) on transport has captivated mainland social media.
The man, who uses the pseudonym Shen Tie, is a university student from Liaoning province in northeastern China who is studying in Yantai, Shandong in northern China.
On December 19, he embarked on a 13-day journey starting in Beijing, travelling south through 66 cities including Shijiazhuang, Jinan, Nanjing, and Hangzhou.
He changed buses 124 times before reaching Hong Kong on December 31, and incurred total expenses of about 2,800 yuan (US$380). His transportation costs were only 793 yuan.
Shen dubbed this trip the “Iron Bottom Plan,” choosing Beijing and Hong Kong as the start and end points because he believed they symbolise the northern and southern soul of the country.
Since secondary school, Shen has had a fascination with travel by public transport.
