Expats can now use overseas cards to buy Shanghai Metro ticket

Editor's note:

Shanghai has made intensive efforts to improve payment services for foreigners, ranging from cash, mobile payments to foreign card acceptance. Let's check out what the city has been doing to make it easier for foreigners visiting China.

Starting this month, a total of seven service centers at four subway stations within the coverage of Shanghai's two airports are offering POS (point of service) machines to allow expatriate passengers to use overseas bankcards to buy metro tickets.

The new service is available at Pudong International Airport Station and Hongqiao Terminal 2 Station on Line 2, as well as Hongqiao Terminal 1 Station and Hongqiao Terminal 2 Station on Line 10, according to Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, the metro operator.

They can buy single-trip, one-day, three-day metro tickets and maglev train tickets at manned service centers. The cards include VISA, Master Card, Discover Card, AE, Diners Club, JCB and China's UnionPay.

"Since the service was launched, we have had expat passengers purchasing metro tickets with their overseas cards at our service center every day," said Wang Yilin, head of Line 10's Hongqiao Terminal 1 Station. "To better serve passengers, we have provided training to our staff in order to provide high-quality service. Staff at the service center also boast proper bilingual ability."

In addition to the new POS machines, passengers also can purchase metro tickets by paying cash in yuan or via WeChat and Alipay at self-service vending machines at each station.

A passenger from the United Kingdom, who bought a subway ticket with his VISA card at the service center, hailed the convenience.

"I heard about the new service from my colleagues and came to the service center right away. It is nice," said the expat who only gave his name as Chuck.

Credit: Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

Ryo from Japan revealed that he found it difficult to use vending machines to purchase metro tickets as he was not familiar with Shanghai's subway system. "It is very convenient if foreigners can use POS machines to buy tickets at manned windows," he said, giving a thumbs up to the new service.

In addition to the POS machines, expats also can use Shanghai Metro's app Metro Daduhui to pay for subway trips directly after binding their overseas cards.

They can use their valid identity documents like passport or the mainland travel permit for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents to register at the app and bind their overseas card to realize direct digital payment.

Credit: Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE