How to pay for taxis, the metro and trains in China

Ride-hailing is the most controllable option. DiDi's international-facing rider app accepts overseas mobile numbers and has an English interface, and ride-hailing can also be booked through Alipay or WeChat mini-programs. Accepted payment methods depend on the app version and your issuer, so check them before you confirm the ride.

Street taxis are less predictable. Some drivers display a payment QR, some accept cash, and only some have a terminal that works with a foreign card. If you flag down a taxi, show the destination in Chinese, confirm the meter and keep small notes. Never hand your phone or unlocked wallet to a driver to 'fix' payment; use the app's own payment flow or cash.

Most visitors use a transport QR code inside Alipay or WeChat Pay. Some cities also support tapping an eligible contactless bank card directly at the gate. Beijing's subway authority and Shanghai Metro both publish tap-and-go support for eligible overseas cards, and the Shanghai FAQ says the card must support contactless small-value payments with sufficient available balance.

Beijing's subway operator says five major card networks work at its gates, while Shanghai Metro publishes its own eligible-card and small-value requirements. This does not mean every gate in every city will accept every international card. Station equipment, card network, issuer settings and the city's rollout determine the result. Look for the card-network marks and small-value/no-PIN acceptance, ask station staff if unsure, and keep a QR route or cash ticket as a fallback. A metro gate may place a pre-authorization when you enter, so ensure the card has headroom.

The official 12306 English website and app are the primary booking route for China Railway tickets. Foreign passengers complete real-name verification with their passport details, then pay online. The published payment options include Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay, and station counters can generally accept cash, mobile payment and bank cards for ticket purchases.

Your passport is not just an identity check for the booking; carry the same document to the station. Arrive with time to pass identity checks and security. If your wallet is not working, the staffed ticket counter is a better fallback than a self-service machine, which may not accept an ordinary foreign passport.

Airports concentrate the payment options: international terminals, hotel desks, official taxi queues and rail links are used to foreign cards, but the same exceptions apply. For airport express trains and metro links, use the same QR or contactless-card approach as the city network.

Buses and bike share are more likely to require the local app or transport mini-program. If a QR reader will not accept your wallet, do not hold up the bus; pay the driver in cash or take the next option. Bike-share deposits and account verification can be more demanding than a simple ride payment, so treat them as optional rather than essential.

The first transport payment is not the place to discover that your passport name has an extra middle name in the wallet, or that your phone's data plan does not activate until you leave the terminal.