JCB, American Express contactless payments accepted at Beijing subway

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Beijing's urban rail transit system has made available contactless fare payments using overseas-issued JCB cards and both domestically and internationally-issued American Express cards, authorities said Sunday.

The new service covers all 29 subway lines, including two airport lines, as well as the suburban railway S2 Line, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.

Passengers can simply tap their bank cards on the fare gate sensors for instant access without purchasing tickets or downloading apps in advance.

This upgrade follows the Mastercard and Visa payment in September 2024, further enhancing convenience for domestic and international travelers.

Beijing Subway has now accepted UnionPay, Mastercard, Visa, JCB and American Express.

The easier payment is one of the measures adopted to facilitate foreign nationals traveling to China, as the country has been expanding its visa-free policy to welcome more foreign visitors.

In 2024, international travelers made 64.88 million cross-border trips to China, up 82.9 percent year on year. More than 20 million of these were visa-free entries, marking a 112.3 percent increase from the previous year, the National Immigration Administration revealed. ■