The first batch of nearly 200 customized buses that run on online reservations will hit the road in Beijing on Thursday, the Beijing Public Transport Corp (BPTC) said on Sunday.

Individuals and companies can start making reservations or buying tickets on Tuesday through a micro-app on the popular social media platform WeChat, according to the company.

A bus line will be opened within five days if the number of applicants for the same line and the same timetable can reach half of the bus seats, the company said, adding that if the attendance rate falls below 50 percent, the bus line will be adjusted or even canceled. 

A ticket for such buses costs 8 yuan (about 1.10 U.S. dollars) for a travel distance less than 20 km, and 3 yuan for each additional 5 km in distance. 

Passengers will enjoy a  40 percent price discount during the first month, from February 27 to March 27, according to the company. 

More than 10,000 individuals and 300 companies submitted applications for the customized service on February 17, the first day the application information was announced, according to the BPTC. 

The customized red buses only run within Beijing's urban areas, the company said.

(Cover: A bus stops at a station in Beijing. /VCG)