Quick Answer
In China, almost all metro systems accept Alipay or WeChat Pay QR codes.
Most locals use their phones, not physical transport cards.
As a visitor, you do not need to buy a metro card to travel normally.
The Core Reality (This Is Very Different From Many Countries)
China’s public transport has already shifted to mobile-first payment.
In most cities:
- Phone QR codes are the default
- Physical transport cards are optional
- Ticket machines are backups, not primary
- Cash is rarely used for transit
If you try to follow an “old-school” transport-card approach, you are doing extra work.
What Locals Actually Use
The majority of riders:
- Scan Alipay Transport QR or WeChat Transport QR
- Enter and exit directly at gates
- Do not carry separate transit cards
- Recharge nothing manually
Transport cards still exist, but they are no longer the norm.
Where Mobile QR Works
Mobile QR payment works on:
- City metro systems
- Urban buses (in most major cities)
- Airport metro lines
- Interchange stations
- Many light rail systems
Coverage is broad and expanding.
Exact Actions: How to Pay for Metro and Bus
Step 1: Open the transport QR (before you queue)
Alipay
- Open Alipay
- Tap Transport
- Select your city
- A black-and-white QR appears with a timer
- Open WeChat
- Go to Me → Services → Transport
- Select your city
- Open the transit QR code
Do this before you reach the gate.
Step 2: Scan at entry and exit
- Hold your phone steady over the scanner
- Wait for the gate to open
- Repeat at exit
Metro systems calculate the fare automatically.
Step 3: For buses
- Board the bus
- Scan when entering (or exiting, depending on city)
- Listen for the confirmation beep
If the scan fails, the driver will usually wave you through and deal with it later.
Why You Usually Should NOT Buy a Transport Card
Buying a physical card:
- Requires finding a service counter
- May need a deposit
- Needs manual top-ups
- Can be refunded only at specific locations
For short-term visitors, this adds friction with no benefit.
When a Physical Card Might Make Sense
A transport card may be useful if:
- You do not use mobile wallets at all
- Your phone battery is unreliable
- You are staying long-term
- You travel daily on fixed routes
Otherwise, QR payment is simpler.
Common Metro & Bus Payment Mistakes
- Waiting until the gate to open the app
- Letting the QR code expire
- Screen brightness too low
- Scanning the wrong QR (payment QR instead of transport QR)
- Assuming you must buy a card
Most delays are user-side, not system-side.
Failure Scenarios & Fixes
- Gate does not open: step aside, refresh QR, retry.
- QR expired: reopen the transport code.
- Wrong QR scanned: open the city transport QR specifically.
- Bus scanner fails: show your phone; driver usually allows boarding.
- Phone battery low: use ticket machine or cash as backup.
Transport staff are used to QR issues.
Reality Check
- Phones are the primary ticket.
- Cards are optional.
- Locals expect QR scanning.
- Transit staff see foreigners using phones every day.
You will not stand out by using mobile payment.
What Locals Do Instead
- Open the transport QR before reaching the gate.
- Keep screen brightness high.
- Walk through confidently.
- Only stop if the gate actually blocks them.
Copy this behavior.
Checklist
- Alipay or WeChat Pay installed.
- City transport QR activated.
- QR opened before queuing.
- Screen brightness high.
- Phone battery sufficient.
- Ticket machines noted as backup.