Comprehensive Analysis on Whether to Purchase a China Transit Card

When traveling in China, whether it is necessary to purchase a transit card (such as Beijing Yikatong, Shanghai Public Transportation Card, etc.) needs to be judged comprehensively based on your itinerary, length of stay, city coverage, and payment habits. Below is a detailed analysis:

1. Advantages of Transit Cards

1. Wide Coverage
2. Supports buses, subways, some ferries, taxis, shared bikes (such as Meituan Bikes supported by Beijing Yikatong), convenience store purchases, etc. In some cities, it also supports ticket purchasing at tourist attractions (for example, the Shanghai Transit Card can be used at some attractions).

3. The transit card systems in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen are mature, covering the entire public transportation network of the city.

4. Discounts and Benefits

5. Beijing Subway: Using Yikatong can enjoy a 50% discount on single-trip fares (for instance, an original fare of 6 yuan would only cost 3 yuan when swiping the card).
6. Shanghai Bus: After swiping the card, transfers within 120 minutes to buses or subways can enjoy a 1-yuan discount.

7. Other Cities: Hangzhou Tong cards offer a 91% discount, and Guangzhou Yangchengtong offers 60% off after 15 uses per month.

8. Convenient Payment

9. No need to queue for tickets, just swipe the card to enter the station, especially saving time during peak hours.

10. Some cities (such as Beijing, Shanghai) support NFC mobile phone top-ups, which is convenient and fast.

11. Flexible Recharge Options

12. You can recharge through subway station self-service machines, convenience stores (such as 7-11, FamilyMart), or certain bank outlets using cash, or bind Alipay/WeChat for online recharges.

13. Card Return and Deposits

14. Beijing Yikatong: A deposit of 20 yuan is required, and if the remaining balance is ≤100 yuan, it can be fully refunded upon return (must go to designated outlets).
15. Shanghai Transit Card: A deposit of 20 yuan is required, and if the remaining balance is ≤10 yuan, it can be refunded (can be processed at airports or subway stations).

2. Disadvantages of Transit Cards

1. Lack of Inter-city Connectivity
2. Currently, only some city transit cards support cross-city use (for example, Beijing Yikatong can be used in Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, and Shanghai Transit Card can be used in Suzhou and Wuxi), but the coverage is limited.

3. Suggestion: If your trip spans multiple cities, prioritize mobile payment methods (such as Alipay/WeChat Pay).

4. Deposit and Balance Restrictions

5. Returning the card requires keeping the card intact along with the deposit receipt, and balances exceeding a certain amount may require visiting specific outlets for refunds.

3. Usage Recommendations

1. Suitable for Purchasing Transit Cards
2. Itinerary concentrated in 1-2 cities with stays over 3 days: For example, if you are sightseeing in Beijing for 5 days, purchasing a Yikatong is more cost-effective.
3. Frequent Use of Public Transportation: If you take the subway/bus more than 3 times daily, the discounts are noticeable.

4. Preference for Physical Cards: Avoid travel issues caused by a dead phone battery or lack of internet connection.

5. No Need to Purchase Transit Cards

6. Short Stay (1-2 Days): Directly use Alipay/WeChat QR code for riding (requires binding a foreign credit card).
7. Traveling Across Multiple Cities: Prioritize nationally available mobile payment methods.

4. Alternative Solution: Mobile Payment (Alipay/WeChat)

1. Activation Method
2. Alipay: Search for "Riding Code" and select the city (e.g., "Beijing Subway Riding Code"), then bind a foreign credit card to use it.

3. WeChat: Search for "Riding Code" in the mini-program and follow the prompts to activate.

4. Advantages

5. Available in over 300 cities nationwide, no need to apply for physical cards.

6. Real-time currency conversion settlement, avoiding problems with refunding remaining balances.

7. Precautions

8. Ensure that your mobile network is smooth; some subway stations may have weak signals.
9. Some cities (such as Chongqing) only support local transit app scanning, requiring advance downloads.

5. Operation Guide

1. Purchase Locations
2. Airport, subway station service windows, convenience stores (such as Beijing Capital Airport Terminal T3, Shanghai Hongqiao subway station).

3. Passport registration may be required (some cities demand this).

4. Recommended Cards

5. Beijing: Yikatong (deposit 20 yuan, refundable).
6. Shanghai: Purple Transit Card (National Interconnect Version).
7. Guangzhou: Lingnan Tong (supports province-wide use).

6. Summary

• Recommended Purchase: If you prefer physical cards, your itinerary is concentrated in one city, and your stay exceeds 3 days.
• Recommended Mobile Payment: If your itinerary spans multiple cities or your stay is short-term, prioritize using Alipay/WeChat.
• Backup Option: Carry a small amount of cash (some bus routes still require coin insertion).