The Beijing subway has two kinds of fares, one is ladder-type pricing (CNY 3-CNY 9), where its pricing applies to all lines except the Airport Express, which costs RMB 25.00 per ride. Children less than 1.2m in height ride for free when accompanied by a paying adult.Another Beijing Subway fare scheme is the integrated circuit card (ICC card) that can store credit for multiple rides, also called Yikatong in Chinese, that needs users to pay RMB 20 deposit, plus whatever amount you want to put on the card, Yikatong is also accepted on many city buses in Beijing.
How to Buy the Tickets:For most foreign tourists, you can purchase single-ride tickets at counters or vending machines in every station, so you had better bring some change such as ￥1, ￥5, or ￥10. It’s easy to find a counter, for it states “Tickets” along with the information in Chinese, and the vending machines are often perpendicular to the counters, so it’s very easy to purchase a ticket.How to Use the Tickets:After buying your ticket you then proceed down the stairs to the platform. Nowadays Beijing has many lines of the subway, so you need to make sure which lines you want to take, especially at the transfer station, and luckily there are signs both in Chinese and English.The use of tickets hand checked by clerks was phased out on June 9, 2008. Now, all lines now collect fares through automatic fare collection machines that accept single-ride tickets and Yikatong, where you should place your ticket close to the sensor of the electronic barriers, then the automatic gates will open and you will proceed through the barriers. Signs on either side of the tracks inform you of the upcoming stations, so have a look to see which side you need to board the train on.Electronic barriers of the Beijing SubwaySubway Tickets Collection:After get on the train, you might see the signs which show the next stations, you could count your stops to get off or transfer. Announcements are made in Chinese and English. After you arrive at your destination and get off the train, you should put your ticket in the automatic barriers.
Source:beijing-travels.com
