The Chinese capital introduced the “Beijing Pass” since August, a multipurpose card for international visitors, which facilitates payment in transport, tourist attractions and shopping centers.
With a maximum balance of 1,000 yuan (about 140.16 dollars), Beijing Pass not only allows you to pay by card for the Beijing metro, suburban railways and taxis within the Chinese capital, but also public transport in more than 300 cities throughout China, including the main tourist destinations such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Nanjing.
In addition, international visitors can also use the card to purchase tickets for 30 popular tourist attractions in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Badaling section of the Great Wall of China – one of the New 7 Wonders of the World since 2007.
In this way, international visitors can purchase or pay for Beijing Pass at 15 points of the city, including Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Railway Station, with a valid identity document.
Cardholders can top up their Beijing Pass at 490 stations in the city’s 27 metro lines through service counters or designated self-service machines. They can also top up funds online through the “SilkPass” mobile app.
“In the future, we will continue to observe the needs of international visitors and expand the functions and scenarios of use of the card to make it more convenient and versatile,” said Feng Ya, an employee of the company Beijing Municipal Administration & Communication Card Co. Ltd., which issues the card.
Tourists in China
Beijing, one of China’s main tourist destinations, received more than 1.65 million tourists in the first half of this year, 245.6 percent more than in the same period of the previous year, according to official data.
Meanwhile, many other cities across China have implemented similar measures to ensure a smooth travel experience for international visitors.
For example, Shanghai Pass, a multipurpose prepaid card for foreign visitors launched in May, can be used to pay in tourist places and shops in Shanghai, as well as in public transport in more than 330 Chinese cities.