How to ride the metro in China's big cities

How do I pay for the metro in China as a foreigner?

You have three main options as of October 2026: tap a contactless foreign bank card at the gate in the cities that support it, scan a metro QR code from Alipay or WeChat, or buy a single-journey ticket at the station. China's official 2026 guide for foreign visitors counts 55 cities with metro lines and confirms all three routes. Station logos differ from city to city, but look for the characters 地铁 (dìtiě), "metro," on the signs.

Can I tap my foreign credit card at the metro gate?

In four cities, yes. Beijing's subway began accepting Visa and Mastercard taps in September 2024 and added JCB and American Express on June 15, 2025, at every gate on all 29 lines, according to the Beijing government. Shanghai extended tap-to-ride from a pilot to its entire network on June 28, 2025. The 2026 official guide adds Guangzhou and Chengdu. Other cities may follow, so look for card logos on the gates.

• Tap the physical card flat on the reader when you enter and again when you leave. Fares in most Chinese metros depend on distance, so the charge is worked out at the exit.
• Use the same card in and out. A different card, or your phone instead of the card, will not match your entry.
• In Shanghai, the card must allow small payments without a PIN. Shanghai Metro also says some cards (Type-B chips and cards without the ODA function) are not supported.
• Your bank may add a foreign transaction fee to every ride, so check before you rely on taps all trip.
• If the gate rejects your card, do not follow someone through. Go to the service center (客服中心, kèfú zhōngxīn), where staff can sell you a ticket or fix the problem.

How do I use an Alipay or WeChat metro QR code?

1. Link a card firstAdd your foreign card in Alipay or WeChat Pay and complete the passport check before you travel. Our Alipay and WeChat Pay guide covers the setup.
2. Open Transport and pick the cityIn Alipay, tap Transport and select the city you are in. The official guide describes this exact route for both metro and bus codes.
3. Activate the metro codeFollow the prompts to confirm your identity and turn on the metro QR code for that city. Do it on Wi-Fi or with good signal before you reach the gates.
4. Scan in, scan outHold the code over the scanner window on the gate when you enter and again when you leave. The fare is charged to your linked card after you exit.

In WeChat, the route depends on the city. Shanghai, for example, lets foreign visitors link a foreign card to WeChat and use the Transit QR Code mini program on buses, the metro and ferries, according to the Shanghai government. Shanghai's own Metro Daduhui (大都会) app also takes international cards.

Gates and ticket machines are where most first-day hiccups happen. The tickets and station entry lesson is free and covers what to say when the gate will not open.

How do I buy a single ticket or a transit card?

Ticket machines (售票机, shòupiào jī) in big cities have an English button. Choose your destination station or the fare, the number of tickets, then pay. The official guide says machines and windows accept Chinese or foreign bank cards, cash in yuan or mobile payment, though not every machine takes everything. In Shenzhen, for example, the city installed card terminals for foreign cards at station service centers in 2024. You get a card or a plastic token: tap it to enter, keep it for the whole ride, and drop it into the slot at the exit gate.

Staying for a while or riding buses too? A rechargeable transport card (交通卡, jiāotōng kǎ) saves you queuing. Buy it at a station window or service center, top it up there or at a machine, and tap it like a bank card. Cards may carry a deposit or a card fee, so ask how refunds work before you leave the city.

What happens at metro security checks?

In most big Chinese cities you pass a security check before the ticket gates. Put your bag on the X-ray belt and collect it on the other side; staff may also look at bottles of liquid. Flammable items, blades and other dangerous goods are not allowed. It usually takes a few seconds, except at rush hour at the busiest stations, where the security line can be longer than the ticket line.

At the gates, tap or scan where the gate shows a card or QR symbol, and wait for it to open fully before walking through. Wide gates for luggage, wheelchairs and strollers are usually at the end of the row.

How do I find the right line, direction and exit?

Lines have numbers and colors, such as Line 2 (二号线, èr hào xiàn). On the platform, the direction is shown by the last station of the line: a sign with the end station followed by 方向 (fāngxiàng, "direction") tells you where that train is heading. Check that your stop appears on that side of the line diagram before you board. In big cities, signs, screens and announcements are in Chinese and English.

To change lines, follow the 换乘 (huànchéng, "transfer") signs that show the number and color of your next line. At large interchange stations, a transfer can mean several minutes of walking, so allow for it. When you arrive, find your exit before you leave the gates. Exits are lettered or numbered (A, B, C or 1, 2, 3, sometimes A1 and A2), and the station map lists the streets and landmarks each one serves. The wrong exit can leave you on the far side of a very wide road.

Many signs you will never need to say out loud, only recognize. The free common signs lesson covers the key ones, and the lines and transfers lesson has the questions to ask staff.

When is rush hour on China's metro?

Weekday mornings and early evenings are the crush, especially on lines into business districts and at big interchange stations. If your plans allow, ride between the peaks. When it is busy, wear your backpack on your front, wait at the marked spots beside the doors, let people off first, and move inside the car. Priority seats are for older passengers, pregnant passengers, parents with small children and people with disabilities.

Traveling with a big suitcase at rush hour is hard work. Ordinary luggage is fine, but very large or long items can be refused at security, so for an airport run with heavy bags a taxi or DiDi may be easier. See our DiDi and taxi guide.

What time is the last metro train in China?

There is no single answer: first and last trains depend on the city, the line, the direction and even the station. Most big-city lines start running around 5 to 6 a.m. and wind down between roughly 10:30 p.m. and midnight, and some cities run later on weekends or holidays. Stations post their first and last train times (首末班车时间, shǒumòbānchē shíjiān) for each direction, usually near the gates, and map apps show them too.

If you get on the wrong train or ride past your stop, get off and cross to the other platform; you can usually do that without leaving the gates. The last train and delays lesson and the wrong train lesson prepare you for both.