Using overseas cards for Metro rides

STARTING this month, a total of seven service centers at four subway stations within the coverage of Shanghai’s two airports are offering POS (point of service) machines to allow expatriate passengers to use overseas bankcards to buy metro tickets.

The new service is available at Pudong International Airport Station and Hongqiao Terminal 2 Station on Line 2, as well as Hongqiao

Terminal 1 Station and Hongqiao Terminal 2 Station on Line 10, according to Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, the metro operator.

They can buy single-trip, one-day, three-day metro tickets and maglev train tickets at manned service centers. The cards include VISA, Master Card, Discover Card, AE, Diners Club, JCB and China’s UnionPay.

“Since the service was launched, we have had expat passengers purchasing metro tickets with their overseas cards at our service center every day,” said Wang Yilin, head of Hongqiao Terminal 1 Station.

In addition to the new POS machines, passengers also can purchase metro tickets by paying cash in yuan or via WeChat and Alipay at self-service vending machines at each station.

A passenger from the United Kingdom, who bought a subway ticket with his VISA card at the service center, hailed the convenience.

“I heard about the new service from my colleagues and came to the service center right away. It is nice,” said the expat who only gave his name as Chuck.

Ryo from Japan revealed that he found it difficult to use vending machines to buy metro tickets as he was not familiar with the subway system. “It is very convenient if foreigners can use POS machines to buy tickets at manned windows.”