Beijing Introduces New Travel Pass That You Can Purchase With International Bank Cards
This pass aims to eliminate payment barriers.
By Celine Low — 05 Aug 2024, 11:28 AM
China has introduced the Beijing Pass, a multi-purpose card for international visitors to facilitate payments for transportation, tourist sites, and shopping centres
The Beijing Pass allows tourists to use their international bank cards to purchase the pass at 15 locations in the city, including Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and Beijing Railway Station, reported Xinhua.
The travel pass supports card payments for Beijing Subway stations, suburban railways, and taxis within the city. Additionally, it is accepted in over 300 cities across China, including major tourist hotspots like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Nanjing.
Foreign travellers can also use the card to purchase tickets for 30 renowned tourist attractions in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and the Badaling section of the Great Wall.
The travel pass has a maximum balance of 1,000 yuan (approximately RM621) and can be topped up at 490 stations across the city's 27 subway lines through service counters or designated self-service machines.
The Chinese capital has also equipped 335 of its subway stations with point-of-sale machines, which allow tourists to purchase travel cards with their international bank cards
According to The People's Government of Beijing Municipality, foreign bank cards such as Mastercard will gradually be accepted for purchasing single-ride tickets, paying for ticket extensions, and other services at subway gate machines.
Additionally, there are plans to enable tourists to use their credit cards directly at platform gates.
Beyond Beijing, other major Chinese cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou are also working to improve the tourist experience by introducing similar travel passes and facilitating taxi fare payments with international credit cards.
