Using the metro in China: tickets, QR codes and bank cards (2026)

Bag checks, single tickets, Alipay and WeChat ride codes, tapping a foreign bank card, English signs, rush hours and how each big city differs.

Checked against official sources: 2026-09-27 · 3 min read

Scanning a phone QR code at a Wuhan Metro ticket gate — Photo: Painjet · CC BY-SA 4.0

The metro is the easiest way to get around any big Chinese city. It is cheap, clean, fast and signposted in English, and in most cities it reaches the main sights, railway stations and airports. You no longer need a local card or even an app in some cities: a contactless foreign bank card can be enough.

Security checks

Almost every station has a bag check at the entrance, like a small airport scanner. Put your bag on the belt; staff may also wave a handheld detector over you. Liquids may be checked. It takes a few seconds outside rush hour. Knives, lighters in bulk, fireworks and other dangerous items are not allowed.

How to pay

You have three options.

Ride codes in Alipay or WeChat. Both apps have a transport feature that creates a QR code for the metro. Scan it at the gate going in and again coming out; the fare is charged to your linked card. This is what most locals use. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you travel, see how to pay in China.
Tap a contactless foreign bank card. In a growing list of cities you can tap a Visa, Mastercard or other contactless card directly on the gate, in and out, with no app at all. Look for the card logos on the gate.
Single tickets. Machines in every station sell one-way tickets. Choose your destination on the English screen and pay. Many machines take cash and mobile QR payments; some take bank cards.

Station names, line maps, exits and announcements are in Chinese and English in all major cities. Each line has a number and a colour. Exits are lettered or numbered (Exit A, Exit B2); check which exit is closest to your destination, as big stations can have a dozen exits spread over several blocks. Amap shows metro routes and exits in English; see our apps page.

Rush hours and timing

Trains are packed on weekday mornings, roughly 07:30 to 09:30, and evenings, roughly 17:00 to 19:30, especially on lines into business districts. With big suitcases, avoid these hours if you can. Most lines close between about 22:30 and midnight, and last trains vary by line and station, so check before a late night out. Fares are distance-based and cheap, usually a few yuan per trip.

City differences

Beijing: all lines, including both airport expresses, accept tap-and-go with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and UnionPay. Every station has a bag check. The metro reaches every sight in town except the Great Wall; see our Beijing guide.
Shanghai: one of the largest networks in the world, with tap-and-go for foreign contactless cards on all lines since June 2025. The Maglev from Pudong Airport is separate and has its own tickets. See our Shanghai guide.
Chengdu: reported to accept foreign contactless cards across the network since mid-2025; ride codes work too. Line 18 links Tianfu Airport with the city. See our Chengdu guide.
Xi’an: use Alipay or WeChat ride codes or single tickets. We could not confirm tap-and-go for foreign cards, so do not rely on it. Line 2 runs through the walled city to Xi’an North station. See our Xi’an guide.
Guangzhou: foreign Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards can be tapped at the gates since October 2025.

Payment options are expanding quickly, so check the gate logos or station signs when you arrive. For longer trips between cities, read our high-speed train guide.