Let’s face it, almost everyone you know in Beijing normally gets around on public transportation-let it be the bus or subway. Even those who commute by car can’t get around the license plate one-day-a-week restrictions, unless they are driven or have multiple cars. So for those of you who aren’t included in the I-have-too-much-money-and-pity-public-transportation minority, you know how convenient and time-saving these little blue IC cards are.

The IC Card, also known as the "Yikatong (一卡通)" is a rechargeable prepaid transportation card that works on Beijing’s public buses, subways, and in some cases can be used as cash at some restaurants and stores. Purchasing one is simple. Simply purchase one in person outside major bus depots, subway station service booths, or through an unofficial reseller at small mom-and-pop shops. When purchasing them through authorizedoutlets, you will first have to put a deposit of 20 RMB for the card, then any amount you’d like. A good rule of thumb, unless you’re blessed with the gift of never having lost anything in your life, is to fill your card with a reasonable amount of less than 100 RMB so that you don’t hate yourself for losing it.

As a further incentive to regularly use an IC card, bus fares are reduced from the standard 2 RMB to 1 RMB a ride. Although public transportation is already cheap, you’ve got to be stupid with your money to spend more than you have to. Subway fares remain the same depending on the distance traveled. The convenience factor alone is enough to get the card. You get to bypass the queue at the ticket window or the bus attendant by just tap-tap-tapping away as you go through the subway turnstile or board the bus.

For those of you who are in Beijing for just a short stay, don’t feel that it’s not worth getting an IC card. At the end of your stay in Beijing, simply get a refund of your IC card deposit and balance at most subway station service booths. Although some may not honor a return and instead ask you to do it at theBeijing Zoosubway station, ask nicely with a smile because it never hurts to ask.

Let’s face it, almost everyone you know in Beijing normally gets around on public transportation-let it be the bus or subway. Even those who commute by car can’t get around the license plate one-day-a-week restrictions, unless they are driven or have multiple cars. So for those of you who aren’t included in the I-have-too-much-money-and-pity-public-transportation minority, you know how convenient and time-saving these little blue IC cards are.

The IC Card, also known as the "Yikatong (一卡通)" is a rechargeable prepaid transportation card that works on Beijing’s public buses, subways, and in some cases can be used as cash at some restaurants and stores. Purchasing one is simple. Simply purchase one in person outside major bus depots, subway station service booths, or through an unofficial reseller at small mom-and-pop shops. When purchasing them through authorizedoutlets, you will first have to put a deposit of 20 RMB for the card, then any amount you’d like. A good rule of thumb, unless you’re blessed with the gift of never having lost anything in your life, is to fill your card with a reasonable amount of less than 100 RMB so that you don’t hate yourself for losing it.

As a further incentive to regularly use an IC card, bus fares are reduced from the standard 2 RMB to 1 RMB a ride. Although public transportation is already cheap, you’ve got to be stupid with your money to spend more than you have to. Subway fares remain the same depending on the distance traveled. The convenience factor alone is enough to get the card. You get to bypass the queue at the ticket window or the bus attendant by just tap-tap-tapping away as you go through the subway turnstile or board the bus.

For those of you who are in Beijing for just a short stay, don’t feel that it’s not worth getting an IC card. At the end of your stay in Beijing, simply get a refund of your IC card deposit and balance at most subway station service booths. Although some may not honor a return and instead ask you to do it at theBeijing Zoosubway station, ask nicely with a smile because it never hurts to ask.