Foreigners can finally use the Shanghai Metro mobile app!

At long last, foreigners are free to enter the Shanghai Metro via its official mobile app, though there are still a few catches you ought to keep in mind.

Catch #1: The entire thing is still only in Chinese. No English. It’s not clear when/if an English version will be rolled out.

Catch #2: You have to pay through Alipay. WeChat Pay is not allowed and Unionpay is only for locals.

Still, it’s nice to be recognized.

The Metro Daduhui (Metro大都会) app was launched back in January, allowing local commuters, for the first time, to create QR codes on their smartphones which they can then scan at certain turnstiles to enter the Shanghai subway, with the fare deducted automatically from their Unionpay or Alipay accounts.

At the moment, there are at least four turnstiles that support QR code payments in every Shanghai subway station (these are the ones marked red). By the end of the year, metro authorities have promised that all turnstiles in Shanghai will support QR code scans.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Metro has also started accepting Apple Pay for the first time. Find out how that’s done here.

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