Short answer
Open Alipay, go to the Transport tab, choose Beijing and activate the metro code once — it uses your bound foreign card. After that, scan the QR at the turnstile and the fare is deducted automatically. No Chinese phone number and no separate app needed.
Activating the code
- Alipay → Transport tab → activate the city code once per city
- It is a built-in mini-program, so nothing new to install
- An international phone number is enough to activate it
- Fares are the same as locals get, including transfer discounts
At the turnstile
Scan at the entry gate and again at the exit — the system charges on exit based on distance. If the gate does not open, you are usually at a gate for the other direction, or your phone brightness is too low for the reader.
Fallbacks that always work
- Every station has ticket machines with an English button, taking cash and card
- Staffed counters sell single-journey tokens
- The same code works in 300+ other cities, so set it up once and reuse it
Related guides
More questions answered
Where these matter
Official sources
Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.