Transport
Can I use the Shanghai metro with a foreign card?
Short answer
Yes. Activate the Shanghai metro code inside Alipay's Transport tab using your bound international card, then scan at the gate. If you would rather not, every station has machines with an English interface that accept cash and foreign cards for single journeys.
The QR route
- Alipay → Transport tab → activate the Shanghai code once
- Works with a foreign card and an international phone number
- Distance-based fare deducted on exit
The token route
Station machines sell single-journey tokens and accept cash and international cards. Slower per trip, but dependable when your phone is flat or the code will not activate.
Airport connections
Hongqiao is directly on the metro network. Pudong is served by the maglev and metro Line 2 — both accept the same QR code once activated.
Related questions
Do I need to activate a new code in each city?
Yes, once per city, but it is a single tap inside the same Transport tab.
Can I use WeChat instead of Alipay?
Both support transport codes in Shanghai. Alipay's English interface is usually the easier first setup.
Is there a day pass?
Some cities sell day passes at station counters, but the distance-based QR fare is typically cheaper for a normal day of sightseeing.
Related guides
Verified 2026-09-11. Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.
Get ChinaPass — these answers offline, with the phrase cards that work at the counter when your data does not.