Beijing has become the first city on the Chinese mainland to support contactless subway fare payments for foreign holders of Mastercard and Visa cards, a new measure in the city’s efforts to further open to the world. Foreign visitors can use Mastercard and Visa cards issued overseas to take all subway lines in the city, and pay smoothly according to the same billing rules as local residents. “Previously, foreign visitors had to buy tickets with cash or use their cards at manual ticket counters. The new measure saves time and avoids the hassle of purchasing tickets,” said Zhao Zilong, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.
The service is available at all gates of the 490 stations along 27 subway lines, including the two airport lines, the Xijiao Line and the Yizhuang T1 Line, covering a total length of 836 kilometers. Beijing has upgraded more than 20,000 pieces of equipment at subway stations to facilitate the new form of payment, which was announced at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS). This is a valuable addition to payment methods that include UnionPay cards and QR codes. “Optimizing the payment service shows Beijing’s determination to continue to expand its high-level opening-up as an international center,” said Wang Ying, Deputy Director of the Finance Office of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Chang Qing, Global Executive Vice President of Mastercard, said the new measure has helped Beijing become another city to successfully deploy an open public transportation ticketing system, following cities such as London and New York. “In October, we are set to unveil a fare reduction initiative for international cardholders utilizing card swipes for entry into Beijing’s subway gates,” Chang said. “This will be strategically promoted in key inbound markets, aiming to enrich the experiences of foreign visitors and showcase the grandeur of Beijing as a vibrant international hub.”
Additionally, the city announced in August the introduction of an all-in-one travel pass called the “Beijing Pass”. The pass is a prepaid multi-functional travel card that supports payment in buses, subways, taxis, as well as certain supermarkets and some ticket offices at tourist sites. It is available for purchase at convenience stores at airports, train and subway stations.
