Beijing Metro for Foreigners: Fares, Foreign Cards, and When to Skip It
Good news first: Beijing now runs the world's first metro network where all five major card networks — UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express — tap directly at the fare gates. No local app, no transport card, no ticket machine queue. For most short-stay visitors, this changes the entire transport question.
Everything below is reference information. Information current as of October 2026 — always confirm details via official channels before you travel.
Fares and how to pay
- Fares start at ¥3 for the first 6 km and rise with distance. Most sightseeing trips land between ¥3 and ¥7.
- Tap your card at the marked gates. Look for the network logos on the reader. Tap the same card or device at entry and exit — the fare deducts automatically.
- Do not mix credentials. Entering with your physical Visa card and exiting with the Apple Pay version of the same card counts as an unmatched entry — ask station staff to clear it.
- Airport express lines use separate pricing (¥25/¥35 as covered in our airport guide).
- Day passes exist for heavy-riding days — a 1-day unlimited pass has been sold around ¥20 (not valid on airport lines). If you're doing the Universal Studios round trip plus two other long rides in one day, it can pay off; otherwise skip it.
The mistakes that actually cost time
- Exit letters. Beijing stations can have a dozen exits on opposite sides of a six-lane road. Check your navigation app for the exit letter before you board, not after.
- Two cards in one wallet. Hold one card flat on the reader; contactless wallets with three cards inside confuse the reader.
- Bank blocks. Some foreign banks flag small overseas transit charges. Enable international/overseas transactions in your banking app before you fly, and keep a backup method.
- Security checks. Every bag goes through an X-ray at every station. It's quick but budget 2–5 minutes at busy stations, more during rush hour (07:00–09:00, 17:00–19:00).
Buses
Buses start around ¥2 and are useful for short hops the metro doesn't cover (the hutong areas, for example). Payment options: exact cash into the fare box, a transport card, or the ride QR code inside Alipay/WeChat. Buses display next-stop announcements on screens; routes on maps apps are reliable.
Taxis and ride-hailing (DiDi)
- Official taxis: flag one at a rank or on the street; the meter starts around ¥13–14 and rides of 5 km cost roughly ¥18–25. Drivers rarely speak English — show the destination in Chinese characters.
- DiDi: China's dominant ride-hail app. The international version registers with a foreign phone number and foreign card, works well in Beijing, and has in-app translation for chatting with drivers. Even easier: DiDi is embedded inside Alipay and WeChat as a mini-program — no extra app needed.
- Price locking: with DiDi, the estimate you confirm is what you pay; with street taxis, the meter rules. Avoid unmarked cars that approach you — legitimate taxis don't solicit.
Shared bikes
The green-and-orange dockless bikes everywhere are cheap (a few yuan per half hour) and ideal for hutong wandering. The catch: most bike-share apps register with Chinese phone numbers. Foreign visitors' usual workaround is unlocking through Alipay's built-in bike features where available, or simply walking — central Beijing's flat geography and wide sidewalks make short walks pleasant. Helmets are uncommon; ride in bike lanes, and expect e-bikes and delivery scooters to move fast.
When to skip the metro entirely
- Great Wall days: use the high-speed rail to Badaling or a direct tourist bus/chartered car — the metro doesn't go there.
- Four-plus people together: a DiDi often costs barely more than four metro fares and saves 30 minutes of walking underground.
- Rush hour with luggage: 08:00–09:00 and 18:00–19:00 trains are genuinely packed; if your hotel transfer falls in these windows, take a car.
Practical notes
- Cost: metro ¥3+ per ride; bus ~¥2+; taxi from ~¥13; DiDi 5 km ≈ ¥18–25.
- Setup before flying: enable overseas transactions on your card; optionally install Alipay or WeChat with a foreign card for buses and bike features.
- Apps: use a China-capable map app (Amap/Baidu) for exit letters and real-time routing — see our internet guide on why offline backups matter.
- Accessibility: major stations have elevators; look for the accessible-exit signs, and staff will help open the wide gates for wheelchairs and strollers.
- Confirmation: fares, day-pass prices and card acceptance evolve; check the Beijing Subway official channels close to travel.