Paying for the metro and buses, city by city
Whether the Alipay or WeChat ride code works with a foreign card, whether you can tap your own Visa or Mastercard at the gate, and which transport cards and passes exist. Checked 3 November 2026; rules change fast, so the answer is marked when it is not confirmed.
yes confirmed by the operator or the app · likely reported by travelers, not announced · partial some gates or lines · no not available as far as we know · unclear no reliable source
Beijing
| Alipay ride code | yes | Alipay Transport > Metro QR code works with a foreign card linked; claim it in the app first |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | unclear | Official guides mention only the Alipay code for foreign cards |
| Tap a foreign card | yes | Every gate on every line since Sep 2024 (Visa, Mastercard); JCB and Amex added June 2025 |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines: cash and Alipay/WeChat QR; some also take bank cards; English menu | |
| Transport card | Beijing Pass, a card for foreign visitors, sold at airport arrivals and big rail stations; ¥20 card fee, card itself not refundable | |
| Passes | 1-day ¥20 and 3-day ¥40 unlimited metro tickets exist; mainly sold electronically | |
| Buses | Alipay bus QR code or Beijing Pass/Yikatong card; no foreign-card tap announced for buses | |
Tip: If you overstay or overshoot, pay the difference at a self-service machine with the same bank card
Sources: english.beijing.gov.cn, english.beijing.gov.cn, english.beijing.gov.cn
Shanghai
| Alipay ride code | yes | Shanghai transport QR code in Alipay accepts foreign cards since Apr 2024; works on metro, buses, ferries |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | yes | WeChat 'Transit QR Code' mini program works with a foreign card linked |
| Tap a foreign card | yes | Whole metro network and Maglev since June 28, 2025: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, UnionPay |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines: cash and QR; station service centers take foreign cards | |
| Transport card | Shanghai Public Transportation Card at metro service centers; refundable deposit (about ¥20) | |
| Passes | Metro 1-day ¥18, 3-day ¥45 (no Maglev); Maglev + 1-day pass ¥55, round trip ¥85 | |
| Buses | Transport QR (Alipay, WeChat) or transport card; card tap on buses not confirmed | |
Tip: For tap-to-ride, your card needs small no-PIN payments turned on; some chip types are refused
Sources: english.shanghai.gov.cn, english.shanghai.gov.cn, english.shanghai.gov.cn
Guangzhou
| Alipay ride code | likely | Guangzhou Metro ride code is in Alipay; guides say it works with a foreign card linked |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | unclear | Ride code exists in WeChat; foreign-card support not confirmed officially |
| Tap a foreign card | partial | Since Oct 12, 2025 at every station, but only gates showing card logos: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines: cash and Alipay/WeChat QR | |
| Transport card | Yang Cheng Tong (Lingnan Pass) card at station service centers | |
| Passes | 1-day ¥20 and 3-day ¥50 passes at service centers | |
| Buses | Ride code or Yang Cheng Tong card; card tap on buses not announced | |
Tip: Look for the gate with Visa/Mastercard logos before you queue
Sources: info.newsgd.com, www.chinaservicesinfo.com, www.chinaservicesinfo.com
Shenzhen
| Alipay ride code | likely | Metro code is in Alipay's Transport section; foreign-card use not confirmed officially |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | yes | Shenzhen Metro mini program in WeChat takes foreign cards since Apr 2024; TenPayGo app adds a ride code (Sep 2026) |
| Tap a foreign card | yes | All gates on all 17 lines since Sep 10, 2026 (trial from June 30): Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, UnionPay |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines upgraded for foreign cards in 2026; cash and QR also accepted | |
| Transport card | Shenzhen Tong card at most metro stations; deposit refunded on return | |
| Passes | 1-day ¥25 and 3-day ¥75 virtual tickets in the Shenzhen Metro app or mini program | |
| Buses | Shenzhen Tong card or ride code (WeChat, TenPayGo); card tap on buses not announced | |
Tip: Turn on small no-PIN payments on your card before tapping
Sources: m.21jingji.com, qh.sz.gov.cn, www.sz.gov.cn
Chengdu
| Alipay ride code | yes | Chengdu ride code in Alipay works with a foreign card since July 2023; metro, trams, buses |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | unclear | No official word on WeChat ride code with foreign cards |
| Tap a foreign card | yes | All metro stations and trams since July 28, 2025: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines take foreign cards for single tickets and day passes; Alipay too | |
| Transport card | Tianfu Tong card; top up at machines or service centers | |
| Passes | Day passes sold at ticket machines; price not confirmed | |
| Buses | Tap a foreign Visa, Mastercard, Amex or UnionPay card on all city bus routes (since July 2025), or use the Alipay code | |
Tip: Chengdu is the easiest city for card tap: metro and buses both take it
Sources: global.chinadaily.com.cn, www.news.cn, www.chinanews.com.cn
Xi'an
| Alipay ride code | likely | Alipay says inbound visitors with a linked foreign card can pay on Xi'an metro and buses (CCTV, May 2024); the ride code isn't named explicitly |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | likely | Tencent listed Xi'an among cities where the WeChat ride code takes foreign cards (Apr 2024), metro and buses |
| Tap a foreign card | no | Gates don't read foreign cards, and the operator said in Aug 2025 that it was still studying the idea; 13 main stations sell tickets with a foreign-card POS at the service counter, which a Shaanxi guide for foreign visitors still listed as the arrangement in Sept 2026 |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines with English mode: cash and QR; service counters at 13 stations (Xi'an North, Bell Tower, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the airport and others) take Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, Discover | |
| Transport card | Chang'an Tong card from self-service machines in metro stations or Chang'an Tong outlets; the ¥18 card fee isn't refunded, the balance is | |
| Passes | 1-day ¥15 and 3-day ¥40 tickets (from first entry) at service centers on Lines 1-6, part of Line 14 and some Line 9 stations | |
| Buses | Ride code (Alipay, WeChat) or Chang'an Tong card | |
Tip: If the app fails, buy a ticket at the service counter of a big station with your foreign card
Sources: local.cctv.com, m.thepaper.cn, news.qq.com
Chongqing
| Alipay ride code | yes | The city transport commission says buses, the metro and taxis take an Alipay code linked to a foreign card (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | yes | The same Sep 2026 statement names WeChat alongside Alipay for bus, metro and taxi codes |
| Tap a foreign card | no | Gates only read UnionPay cards starting with 62 and UnionPay phone taps; foreign cards work at the staffed windows, where you buy a ticket and then use it at the gate |
| Ticket machines | Staffed windows at every station take Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, UnionPay; machines take cash and QR | |
| Transport card | Chongqing Changtong card at metro stations | |
| Passes | 1-day ¥18, 3-day ¥45, 5-day ¥70: paper tickets at the ticket booth of every station except on the Bitong line, e-tickets in the Yuchangxing app | |
| Buses | Ride code (Alipay, WeChat), Changtong card or cash: the bus operator said in Aug 2026 that every line still keeps cash payment (投币, no change given); the normal Alipay payment code may miss transfer discounts | |
Tip: If apps fail, buy a day ticket at the window with your foreign card, then use it at the gate
Sources: m.gmw.cn, www.cq.gov.cn, www.cq.gov.cn
Hangzhou
| Alipay ride code | yes | Alipay transport QR works for foreign-card users on metro and buses since Aug 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | yes | Tencent listed Hangzhou among cities where the WeChat ride code takes foreign cards (Apr 2024), metro and buses |
| Tap a foreign card | unclear | Gates take UnionPay contactless; no announcement covers Visa or Mastercard as of Nov 2026 |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines with English mode: cash, UnionPay cards and Alipay/WeChat QR (since July 2023) | |
| Transport card | Hangzhou Tong card at citizen-card outlets and self-service card machines; ¥15 refundable deposit since Aug 2017 | |
| Passes | E-tourist tickets in the Hangzhou Metro app: 1-day ¥15, 3-day ¥40, 5-day ¥60, 7-day ¥80 (start on activation); paper 1-/3-day at service centers | |
| Buses | Ride code (Alipay, WeChat) or Hangzhou Tong card | |
Tip: Alipay is the home app here: its ride code is the simplest choice
Sources: www.ehangzhou.gov.cn, m.mpaypass.com.cn, m.gmw.cn
Suzhou
| Alipay ride code | likely | Guides say the Suzhou ride code (Alipay or Su e Xing app) takes a foreign card |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | likely | Guides say WeChat's transit mini program takes a foreign card |
| Tap a foreign card | no | Gates don't take foreign cards; station card readers do, to buy tickets (since 2024) |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines: cash and Alipay/WeChat QR; service center card readers take foreign cards | |
| Transport card | Suzhou Tong card at stations | |
| Passes | Tourist 1-day ¥18 and 3-day ¥40 tickets at service centers; e-version in the Su e Xing app | |
| Buses | Ride code or Suzhou Tong card | |
Tip: Don't tap your bank card on the gate: buy a ticket at the counter with it instead
Sources: m.thepaper.cn, chinafortravelers.com
Kunming
| Alipay ride code | likely | Alipay listed Kunming among cities where foreigners can get a ride code (May 2024); e-day tickets are sold in Alipay |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | unclear | The metro takes WeChat ride codes; an Apr 2024 report named Kunming for a planned foreign-card rollout, but a local launch has not been confirmed |
| Tap a foreign card | unclear | UnionPay contactless is confirmed; no local operator or card-network confirmation was found for tapping Visa or Mastercard at the gate |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines: cash and QR; no official word on foreign cards | |
| Transport card | Zhihuitong card at metro service centers: ¥20 deposit, refunded when you return the card; the Kunming bus IC card also works on the metro | |
| Passes | E-day tickets in Alipay: 1-day ¥13, 3-day ¥33, 7-day ¥75 (start on purchase); paper 1-/3-/7-day ¥15/¥35/¥77 at service centers (start on first entry) | |
| Buses | Ride code (Alipay, WeChat), UnionPay QuickPass, transport card or cash: the transport bureau said in Sept 2025 that cash is still taken on all regular routes (投币, exact change, no change given) | |
Tip: The Alipay e-day ticket starts the moment you pay, so buy it right before you ride
Sources: www.163.com, peking.bjd.com.cn, www.thepaper.cn
Harbin
| Alipay ride code | unclear | The Harbin code exists in Alipay, but passport verification and foreign-card funding for the ride code are not confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | unclear | No official word on foreign cards; travelers report the ride code inside the DiDi mini program works |
| Tap a foreign card | unclear | No foreign-card tap announced as of Nov 2026; gates take UnionPay QuickPass from some Chinese banks only |
| Ticket machines | Ticket machines and service counters: cash and QR; foreign-card acceptance at stations not confirmed | |
| Transport card | Harbin City Pass (Chengshitong) card: ¥15 prepaid rent plus ¥0.50 a month, and the card is yours after 30 months; the same account powers the ride code in the Harbin Chengshitong app | |
| Passes | 1-day ¥12 and 3-day ¥32 e-tickets in the Harbin Chengshitong app only (real-name sign-up needed); the prices are unchanged since the 2019 launch and were still listed in 2025, when a ¥130 30-day pass was also on sale | |
| Buses | Ride code, City Pass card or cash | |
Tip: The metro doesn't reach Taiping Airport (an airport line is only planned): take the airport bus or a taxi
Sources: www.hlj.xinhuanet.com, www.hrbdw.gov.cn, k.sina.cn
Guilin (no metro: buses)
| Alipay ride code | likely | Guilin e-bus card is in Alipay's Transport section; foreign-card use not confirmed officially |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat ride code | unclear | Tencent's ride code covers Guilin buses, but Guilin isn't on Tencent's foreign-card city list |
| Tap a foreign card | unclear | No foreign-card tap on buses announced as of Nov 2026 |
| Ticket machines | No metro, so no ticket machines: pay on the bus | |
| Buses | Ride code or cash (投币: coins or notes, no change given); every air-conditioned city route costs ¥2 since 17 Sep 2026 (71 routes listed), while special, custom and sightseeing routes keep their own fares | |
Tip: Carry ¥2 in coins or small notes: the fare is a flat ¥2 and drivers give no change
Sources: c.m.163.com, m.mpaypass.com.cn, news.guilinlife.com
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