A Comprehensive Guide to Public Transportation and Taxi Rides for Foreign Tourists Traveling to China

Traveling in China on your own without a Chinese mobile number or bank card? No problem!

This super detailed step-by-step guide teaches you how to handle everything from registration to travel, ride-hailing, and payments.

1️⃣ Download the Alipay app --> Open it and tap "Register Account"

2️⃣ Select your country (e.g., Malaysia/Singapore) → Enter your mobile number --> Enter the verification code ✅ Registration successful!

3️⃣ On the homepage → Tap "My" at the bottom right

4️⃣ Tap the small arrow in the upper right corner → Go to "Personal Information"

5️⃣ Tap "Identity Information" → Proceed with real-name authentication

6️⃣ Fill in your passport details (photo verification may be required here). Next, bind your bank card 💳

7️⃣ Return to "Personal Information" → Tap "Bank Cards"

8️⃣ Add your bank card information as instructed:

✅ Supported: Credit cards / WISE card / GX card (tested successfully; note that GX card transactions may be slightly slower)

🚫 Unsupported: Regular debit savings cards

💡 You can link multiple cards and switch between them for payment. Then comes...

🚇 Tips for traveling by bus/subway

9️⃣ Return to the homepage → Tap "Travel"

🔟 Select your destination city in the upper right corner (e.g., Guangzhou, Shanghai)

1️⃣1️⃣ Tap "View Now" → Choose the bus/subway card you want to activate --> Follow the instructions to enter your personal details and obtain a QR code instantly!

📌 Simply scan the QR code to enter stations, and the fare will be automatically deducted from your linked card.

⚠️ Some cities require separate QR codes for buses and subways, but once activated, they remain valid for long-term use.

⚠️ Certain cities support a combined "Transport Card/One Card," allowing you to use a single QR code for both buses and subways! For getting around → Call Didi for a ride (no need to download another app).

1️⃣2️⃣ Still on the homepage → Find the "Didi Chuxing" icon

👉 If you can't find it → Tap "More" → Search for "Didi" After registration, you can hail a ride just like usual!

🎁 Pro tip:

✅ You don't need a Chinese mobile number or a Chinese bank card.

✅ You can still eat, buy tickets, ride the subway, call Didi, and order food delivery!

Bringing your parents along for independent travel is perfectly fine too—handling transportation and payments becomes effortless, so no more rushing to subway stations to buy tickets!