Capital pioneers overseas card convenience for foreigners

BEIJING — Starting from the second half of this year, a series of payment facilitation services in Beijing have made daily transportation, shopping and sightseeing much more convenient for foreigners in the city.

On Sept 13, the Chinese capital took the lead in the Chinese mainland to support the use of foreign bank cards for its subway travel. Without the need to purchase tickets or download any mobile apps, foreign visitors can swipe their overseas issued MasterCard or Visa card to ride on the city's all urban rail lines and its suburban railway S2 line.

Over the past month, the cumulative use of foreign cards for subway access has reached 31,400, with 1,046 individual passengers using one each day on average, according to the city's railway authorities.

On July 31, the city introduced the Beijing Pass a multipurpose card designed to enhance convenience for international visitors by simplifying payments for transportation, tourist sites and shopping centers.

As of now, 12,979 Beijing Pass cards have been issued since its trial launch, including 6,031 physical cards and 6,948 mobile NFC cards activated online through the "Silk-Pass" app. The cumulative number of transactions via the Beijing Pass has reached 117,000, with the highest frequency of use recorded in public transportation scenarios.

Beijing has 24 stations along 11 rail transit lines equipped with translation devices as part of a pilot program. Station staff also regularly undergo foreign language oral training to provide foreign passengers with more accurate and comprehensive information.

The city's public bus routes now provide bilingual reminders in both Chinese and English. Its major ride-hailing service providers have launched English versions of their apps, which support international payment means such as MasterCard and Visa.

In the near future, Beijing's rail transit is expected to introduce an international version of its app that allows registration with foreign mobile numbers and supports QR code scanning for entry and exit. Public buses and taxis in the city will also continue to refine their services for foreign passengers, offering a richer and more diverse range of travel options, said local authorities.

As one of China's top tourist destinations, Beijing received more than 1.65 million inbound tourists in the first half of this year, up 245.6 percent year-on-year, according to official data.