Beijing subway enhances payment services for international travelers with new tap-and-go system

Beijing continues to enhance the quality and efficiency of payment services for international travelers by launching a new foreign bankcard service, allowing passengers to enter and exit subway stations with just a quick tap.

The city's subway network has introduced point-of-sale (POS) machines and an innovative card-tap service specifically designed for international travelers. With just a quick tap of a bank card, the system automatically calculates and charges the fare, streamlining the process and making it more convenient than ever.

Currently, Beijing's rail transit network, consisting of 28 operational lines -- 27 subway lines and one suburban rail line -- offers POS machines for ticket purchases. These machines are compatible with financial IC cards and magnetic stripe cards issued by overseas banks, including six types of international cards such as Visa and MasterCard.

International visitors who prefer mobile payments can also link their international credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard, to Alipay or WeChat Pay to buy tickets.

"It's lovely because I don't have to download any application, I don't have to deal with the service of subway. I just as I do in Paris with my credit card. I just by visa card, just pass by the counter and pass to the train," said an international traveler at a Beijing subway station.

Beijing Rail Transit is rolling out tap-and-go payments with foreign bank cards this year, in an effort to further enhance its payment services.

Once passengers enter, the payment is processed through the card issuer as the system verifies it in real-time.

In addition, Beijing has introduced a prepaid card, known as the "Beijing Pass," which allows foreign passengers to access over 1,700 bus routes, 28 rail lines, and more than 20,000 taxis.

China has upgraded its payment services nationwide to simplify travel for overseas visitors in various settings, including hotels, airports, banks, tourist attractions, and now subways.

With the rising popularity of China's 144-hour visa-free transit policy, a growing number of overseas travelers are visiting the country for up to six days.

The enhanced payment services are now making their travel experience more convenient and hassle-free.

Beijing subway enhances payment services for international travelers with new tap-and-go system

China's express delivery sector maintained stable operations during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from Sunday to Tuesday, handling over 2.7 billion parcels, according to data released by the State Post Bureau on Wednesday.

Of the total, 1.307 billion parcels were collected during the holiday, marking a year-on-year growth of 35.4 percent in terms of the daily collection volume.

The number of parcels delivered totaled 1.407 billion during that period, with the delivery volume expanding by 45.7 percent year on year.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, family members always send special festival purchases to each other, which is believed to one of the factors contributing to the growth of the express delivery industry.

"Through their efficient and convenient services, express delivery enriches consumers' shopping choices, fosters market diversification, and boosts consumer demand, bringing new vitality to the holiday economy. Additionally, the express delivery sector has been well integrated with the cultural and tourism market by delivering related products. This not only improves the travel experience, but also helps stimulate the economy of tourist destinations, fostering local economic growth and cultural development," said Wang Yuehan, director of State Postal Bureau's development and research center.

China sees over 2.7 bln parcels handled during Mid-Autumn Festival holiday