Beijing drivers are noticing something different on freshly repaved roads across the city: bus-only lane markings, which for over two decades have been painted in distinctive yellow, are being replaced with white lines. The change has prompted widespread confusion about whether bus lanes have been abolished — they have not — and is the most visible result of China’s new GB 5768 national road-marking standard, which took effect in May 2026 and requires bus-lane markings to use white paint with supplementary signage and pavement text rather than color-coded paint.
For visitors driving in Beijing and for international fleet operators planning EV deployment programs, this is an important compliance update — entering a former yellow-line bus lane during restricted hours still carries the same ¥200 fine and 3-point penalty, but the visual cue has fundamentally changed.
What Exactly Changed
The new GB 5768-2026 road-marking standard, jointly issued by China’s Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Transport, harmonizes road markings nationwide and aligns China more closely with international UN-ECE marking conventions. The key changes that affect drivers in Beijing and other major cities:
- Bus lanes: yellow longitudinal lines replaced with white longitudinal lines; bus-lane identification is now communicated via pavement text and roadside signs rather than color
- Edge markings: standardized white edge lines on highways and major arterials
- Time-of-day restrictions: continue to be indicated by pavement text and roadside signs (typically “7:00-9:00, 17:00-20:00” for bus lanes)
- Special-purpose lanes (HOV, taxi, emergency): retain unique color or pavement-text identification
Why the Color Change?
The Ministry of Public Security cited three reasons for the harmonization:
- International alignment. Most countries use color-coded paint sparingly, relying on signage and pavement text for special-lane identification. Aligning with UN-ECE standards simplifies international driver-license recognition and reduces confusion for foreign visitors.
- Maintenance cost. Yellow-painted lane markings degrade faster in UV-heavy environments and require more frequent repainting. White paint has roughly 30-40% longer service life under similar conditions, reducing municipal maintenance budgets.
- ADAS readability. Modern lane-keep-assist and ADAS systems are calibrated primarily for white lane markings. Mixed-color systems create edge cases where ADAS performance degrades. As more vehicles ship with L2+ ADAS (now standard on 75%+ of new vehicles in tier-1 Chinese cities), consistent white markings improve overall traffic safety.
How Drivers Should Respond
If you’re driving in Beijing — including ride-hailing operators, delivery fleet drivers, and rental customers — the practical impact is:
- Don’t assume white lane = okay to enter. Always check the pavement text and roadside signage. If the pavement text reads “公交专用 PUBLIC BUS ONLY” or shows a time-restriction window, treat it as a bus lane.
- Time restrictions remain in effect. Beijing’s standard bus-lane hours are 7:00-9:00 and 17:00-20:00 on weekdays. Outside these windows, regular vehicles may enter unless additional signage forbids it.
- Penalties are unchanged. Entering a bus lane during restricted hours carries a ¥200 fine and 3 points off your license; license-plate cameras enforce automatically.
Rollout Timeline
Beijing is implementing the new markings progressively, lane-by-lane as roads are repaved or repainted. Full conversion of the city’s bus-lane network is expected to take 18-24 months. Other major cities — Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu — are running parallel rollouts on similar timelines. Drivers should expect to encounter mixed yellow-and-white bus-lane markings on the same routes through 2027.
What This Means for ADAS-Equipped Vehicles
The standardization is meaningfully positive for ADAS-equipped vehicles, particularly Chinese EV models with L2+ NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) features. Brands like Huawei (in AITO and Luxeed), Xpeng, NIO and BYD’s God’s Eye system have all reported edge-case failures when transitioning between yellow and white lane markings — particularly when entering or exiting bus lanes mid-route.
The white-paint standardization should improve NOA reliability over the next 12-18 months as more roads convert. For context on how rapidly Chinese EVs are scaling ADAS deployment, see our Leapmotor A10 OTA ADAS coverage.
Foreign automakers running ADAS validation programs in China — including Tesla, Ford and Volkswagen — also benefit from the simplified marking convention, which reduces the volume of country-specific calibration work required to support Chinese vehicle markets.
Other Markings That Are NOT Changing
Important to note that the new standard does NOT change:
- Yellow center-line markings on two-way roads — these remain yellow and still indicate no-passing zones
- Yellow no-stopping curb markings — still yellow
- Yellow construction-zone markings — still yellow
- HOV/carpool lane markings — these retain color-coded identification in cities that have them
For broader context on how China’s regulatory infrastructure is rapidly evolving alongside EV adoption, see our coverage of the May 2026 ICE collapse in our May 2026 China all-EV top 10 analysis.
FAQ
Are Beijing bus lanes being abolished?
No. Bus lanes remain in operation with the same time-of-day restrictions. The change is purely visual — yellow paint is being replaced with white paint, and identification is communicated via pavement text and roadside signage.
What is the fine for entering a Beijing bus lane during restricted hours?
¥200 fine and 3 license-points deduction. Restricted hours in Beijing are typically 7:00-9:00 and 17:00-20:00 on weekdays. License-plate cameras enforce automatically.
How can I tell if a white lane is a bus lane?
Always check the pavement text and roadside signs. Bus lanes will display “公交专用” or similar pavement lettering and a roadside sign with the time-restriction window.
When will all Beijing bus lanes be converted?
The conversion is happening progressively as roads are repaved. Full conversion is expected over 18-24 months. Drivers should expect to see mixed yellow and white bus-lane markings through 2027.
Source: Autohome.com.cn
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