Last updated: 2026-09
Getting around a Chinese city is simpler than most first-time visitors expect. Metro networks are cheap, bilingual and easy to pay for, the Beijing and Shanghai metro gates accept contactless bank cards from the five major card networks, and DiDi, China's ride-hailing platform, runs a full English interface. You do not need a Chinese phone number or a local bank account.
What Are the Main Ways to Get Around a Chinese City?
Five options cover almost every trip an international visitor takes.
- Metro. The fastest way across town, and unaffected by traffic.
- DiDi (ride-hailing). The default for door-to-door trips, late nights and luggage.
- Street taxis. Metered, plentiful in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, and useful when you can show a driver a Chinese address.
- City buses. Cheap and slow, but they reach places the metro does not.
- Walking plus the metro. The most practical combination for sightseeing.
For most visitors, the metro handles the daytime and DiDi handles everything else.
How Do You Pay for the Metro Without a Chinese Bank Account?
Three methods work for foreign visitors. Two require no app at all.
Tap a contactless bank card at the gate
Beijing's urban rail network accepts contactless payments at fare gates, ticket machines and top-up points from China UnionPay, Mastercard, Visa, JCB and American Express. The Beijing municipal government describes it as the world's first city rail system with full-network coverage of all five major card networks, so you can walk up and tap without buying a ticket or downloading an app.
Shanghai reached the same position in stages. The Maglev line piloted bank card and digital yuan hardware wallet entry on June 14, 2025, and the pilot expanded to the entire Shanghai metro network on June 28, 2025. UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB chip cards are accepted at the gates. Small-amount password-free payment must be switched on, and the card needs enough balance or credit.
Use the transport QR code in Alipay or WeChat
This method works nationwide, including in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi'an and Hangzhou, where gate-side card tapping is still being rolled out.
The catch that trips up most newcomers: the transport code is not the same as your payment code. Open Alipay, tap Transport, choose the city and switch on its transit card. The code scans at the entry gate and again at the exit, and the correct distance-based fare is deducted from your linked card.
Buy a single-journey ticket from a machine
Every station has touchscreen machines with an English mode, and you can pay in cash or by QR code. It works, but it is the slowest option and carries no discount.
Beijing's 2026 ticketing rules also list the Beijing public transport card, Beijing and non-Beijing T-Union interchange cards, BEIJING PASS and the digital yuan hardware wallet as valid fare media.
How Much Does a Metro Ride Cost?
Fares are based on distance, not zones, and they are low by international standards.
| City | Starting fare | How the price scales |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | RMB 3 | First 6 km; RMB 4 to 12 km; RMB 5 to 22 km; RMB 6 to 32 km; plus RMB 1 for every further 20 km. No cap |
| Shanghai | RMB 3 | First 6 km; then RMB 1 for every additional 10 km. Suburban express lines start at RMB 4 |
Two details matter in Beijing. The distance-based rules apply to the metro network excluding the Capital Airport Express and the Daxing Airport Express, which are priced separately. You may also stay inside the paid area for a maximum of 4 hours on a single journey.
Beijing sells multi-day unlimited passes at RMB 20 for one day, RMB 30 for two and RMB 40 for three. They pay off only on heavy sightseeing days, since a normal tourist ride costs RMB 3 to 6.
What About the Airport Express and the Shanghai Maglev?
Airport rail is where fares jump, so plan for it rather than assuming the station machine will sort it out.
The Shanghai Maglev connects Pudong International Airport with Longyang Road station. Official 2026 fares:
- Standard one-way: RMB 50
- Standard round trip: RMB 80
- VIP one-way: RMB 100; VIP round trip: RMB 160
- With a same-day air ticket: RMB 40 for a standard one-way ride, one discount per ticket
- Paid with a Shanghai public transport card: RMB 40 for a standard one-way ride
- Maglev plus metro one-day combo: RMB 55 one way, RMB 85 round trip
- Multi-ride card: RMB 900 for 30 rides
The Maglev is priced outside the metro's distance system, so a metro day pass does not cover it. Shanghai Metro Line 2 also runs from Pudong Airport to the city center if you would rather keep costs down.
How Do You Use DiDi and Taxis in China?
DiDi is the practical workhorse for anyone staying more than a day or two.
The official app, listed as DiDi China: Ride Hailing, supports registration with an international mobile number, offers an English interface, provides bilingual in-app messaging with the driver, accepts international bank cards and runs 24/7 bilingual customer service. A Chinese SIM card and a Chinese bank account are not required for the standard setup. If you would rather not install another app, Alipay has a ride-hailing entry under Transport that reuses the card you already linked.
Three habits prevent almost all DiDi problems:
- Set the pickup point before ordering. Airports, railway stations, shopping malls and old-town districts only let cars stop in designated bays, and the pin the app suggests is not always a legal stopping place.
- Save your hotel address in Chinese. Search results are far more reliable with the Chinese name, and you can show it to a taxi driver.
- Check the license plate against the app before you get in.
Street taxis in Beijing are metered under municipal rules: a flag-fall charge covering the first 3 km, a per-kilometer rate after that, a 20 percent surcharge between 23:00 and 05:00, and a 50 percent surcharge on the portion of a one-way trip beyond 15 km. Rates vary by city, so treat DiDi's in-app estimate as your budget figure.
Is It Easy to Get Around if You Do Not Speak Chinese?
In the largest networks, yes. Station names, line maps, exit numbers and on-train announcements are bilingual, and ticket machines have an English mode.
- Security screening at every metro entrance. Bags go through an X-ray belt and you walk through a detector. It adds a couple of minutes, and unlike at an airport you can carry liquids.
- Rush hour is genuinely crowded, roughly 07:30-09:00 and 17:30-19:00 on weekdays. With luggage, travel outside those windows.
- Last trains leave before midnight. Times vary by line and station, so check the posted end-of-service time rather than assuming.
Our guides to getting online in China, paying without a Chinese bank card and the language barrier cover the setup work that makes all of this run smoothly.
What Mistakes Do First-Time Visitors Make?
- Using the Alipay payment QR code at the metro gate. The gate needs the separate transport code, activated for the city you are in.
- Assuming card tapping works everywhere. Today it is reliable in Beijing and Shanghai; elsewhere, plan on the Alipay or WeChat transport code or a ticket machine.
- Booking a car without checking the pickup bay. This is the most common cause of missed airport and rail transfers.
- Ignoring the exit number. Large stations can have a dozen exits, and the wrong one can put you on the far side of a major road.
Where Does a Private Transfer Fit In?
Public transport serves a confident independent traveler well. It is less comfortable when you land at midnight with three suitcases, move between cities with a group, or attend a fixed business appointment.
That is the gap we fill. LinkedTours arranges private transfers and leisure itineraries with English-speaking guides, tailor-made programs built around your own dates and interests, corporate delegations, and study tours for school groups. We work across inbound leisure travel, business travel and study travel, so a transfer can be booked on its own or folded into a full itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ride the Chinese metro without a Chinese phone number?
Yes. In Beijing and Shanghai you can tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB or UnionPay card directly at the gate, with no app or registration. Elsewhere, the Alipay or WeChat transport code works with an international phone number and a linked foreign card.
How much is the Shanghai Maglev in 2026?
A standard one-way ticket is RMB 50 and a standard round trip is RMB 80. A same-day air ticket reduces the one-way fare to RMB 40, and a Shanghai public transport card gives the same price.
Is DiDi cheaper than a taxi?
Not always. DiDi Express is usually competitive, but fares use dynamic pricing and rise at peak hours, in bad weather or during major events, while metered taxis follow fixed municipal rates. Check the in-app estimate before confirming.
Do I need cash for city transport in China?
Rarely. Metro gates, ticket machines, DiDi and most taxis accept mobile payment or bank cards. A small amount of RMB is still sensible for smaller buses and the occasional cash-only counter.
How early should I leave for the airport?
Allow extra time for the metro security check and for the airport express or Maglev, which is priced separately from the metro. Buy that ticket rather than assuming your metro pass covers it.