A man in Wuhan, who has no arms and uses his foot to tap a card to pass the gantry at the metro station, was asked to produce his disability certificate.
People aged 65 and above, as well as disabled individuals, can ride the Wuhan Metro for free.
China News Weekly reported that Mr Li was told by a station employee that "only those with a certificate are considered disabled".
Mr Li reluctantly bought a ticket and tapped the card with his foot to pass through the turnstile, according to a post on Weibo.
The employee had demanded to be shown the disability certificate in order for Mr Lee to be allowed to use the barrier-free access at the station.
Wuhan Metro on March 22 apologised for the incident, admitting that its employee mishandled the situation. It also promised to continue providing travel services to passengers with special needs.
