In a significant move to enhance travel convenience for inbound visitors and improve payment accessibility, Shanghai Metro announced the expansion of its Tap to Ride with contactless bank card and e-CNY hard wallet pilot program to cover its entire urban rail network, including all municipal lines, effective June 28, 2025.

Following a successful initial trial on the Maglev line, this expanded pilot will enable passengers to enter and exit any Shanghai Metro station using UnionPay chip cards, as well as Visa (international Visa cards and Visa-CUP Dual-brand Dual-currency cards), Mastercard, American Express, and JCB contactless cards (excluding Type-B chips and cards without ODA function), and e-CNY hard wallets that meet the People's Bank of China Digital Currency Research Institute's specifications.

Passengers can simply Tap to Ride with their eligible contactless card or e-CNY hard wallet at any gate for quick and seamless access to the entire Shanghai Metro system.

To ensure a smooth experience, passengers must enable the small-amount password-free payment feature and ensure their card or wallet has sufficient balance or credit.

If users encounter issues, they are encouraged to visit station service centers or contact their card issuer or the relevant customer service hotlines, all of which are available 24/7.

Shanghai Metro's network is one of the world’s largest, with a total length of 896 kilometers, 21 lines, and 517 stations, transporting over 77 percent of the city's public transit passengers daily.

The comprehensive rollout of this payment pilot is expected to significantly enhance the travel experience for international visitors, streamline access to key city destinations, and further strengthen Shanghai’s position as a leading global metropolis.

This achievement is the result of close collaboration among the Shanghai Municipal Financial Regulatory Bureau, the People’s Bank of China Shanghai Head Office, the Digital Currency Research Institute, China UnionPay, Bank of Communications, international card schemes, and the Shanghai Metro ticketing team.

Over 3,000 laboratory tests and extensive field trials were conducted within just three months to address technical compatibility, payment security, and user experience challenges, underscoring the commitment to innovation in public transport payment solutions.