Beijing issues prepaid cards for international visitors

The Chinese capital introduced the Beijing Pass, a multi-purpose card for international visitors, on Wednesday, facilitating their payment for transportation, tourist sites and shopping centers, reported Xinhua.

With a maximum balance of 1,000 yuan (about 140.16 U.S. dollars), the Beijing Pass not only supports card payments for the Beijing Subway, suburban railways and taxis within Beijing, but also for public transportation in over 300 cities across China, including major tourist destinations like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Nanjing.

Moreover, international visitors can also use the card to purchase tickets for 30 popular tourist attractions in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Badaling section of the Great Wall.

Starting on Wednesday, international visitors can purchase or refund the Beijing Pass at 15 locations in Beijing, including Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Railway Station, with a valid ID.

Cardholders can top up their Beijing Pass at 490 stations across the city's 27 subway lines through service counters or designated self-service machines. They can also add funds online via the "SilkPass" mobile application.

"In the future, we will continue to monitor the needs of international visitors and expand the card's functions and usage scenarios to make it more convenient and versatile," said Feng Ya, a member of staff at Beijing Municipal Administration & Communication Card Co., Ltd., which issues the card.

As one of China's top tourist destinations, Beijing received more than 1.65 million inbound tourists in the first half of this year, up 245.6 percent year on year, according to official data.

Meanwhile, many other cities across China have implemented similar measures to ensure a smooth travel experience for international visitors. For instance, the Shanghai Pass, a multi-purpose prepaid card for foreign visitors launched this May, can be used for payments at tourist spots, convenience stores in Shanghai, and for public transportation in over 330 Chinese cities.