Preedee TeoBeijing is gearing up to make tourist travel simpler with a new travel pass. The new travel pass will enable foreign visitors to purchase the pass using international bank cards at all 335 Beijing Subway stations and both airports. The subway system is currently testing this service.
Dr. Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism of Beijing International Studies University, mentions that “If the pass can be integrated with Alipay, a widely-used Chinese digital payment platform, it will also save time and make it easier for foreigners to use public transportation.”
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Moving around with ease
Image credit: Xinhua | Official Website
To accommodate the rising number of tourists, Chinese authorities are implementing measures to enhance tourist experience. A new all-in-one public transportation pass and bilingual announcements in Mandarin and English at key transportation hubs, including major railway and subway stations near tourist attractions and both airports, are part of these efforts.
Tourists can conveniently purchase travel cards at any Beijing Subway station using their international bank cards. The city is also exploring the possibility of implementing a credit card payment system directly at subway gates.
Singapore has already implemented a similar system with SimplyGo. SimplyGo is a mobile application that allows commuters to link their credit cards to their phones to pay for their fare directly at the platform gate, both on the train and on the bus.
Other cities following behind
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Beijing is leading a nationwide trend to enhance the tourist experience. Other major cities, such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, are following suit by introducing similar travel cards and expanding credit card acceptance for taxis. This push comes as China experiences a surge in tourism. In fact, Beijing’s entry and exit ports already surpassed the total number of travellers for all of 2023 as of 29 Jul 2023, with a staggering 10 million people passing through.
By making transportation more accessible, Beijing is setting a new standard for tourist convenience, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience for international visitors.
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As Beijing moves forward with the implementation of this travel pass, with other major cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou following behind, foreigners travelling into China will surely enjoy an unprecedented tourist experience as this seamless navigation can allow them to save up on travelling time and visit more exciting attractions in a day!
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