transport cards
Transport Cards and Getting Through the Gate
Metro and bus without a physical ticket: getting a card or a QR code, topping it up, tapping in and out, transferring, and what to do when the gate refuses to open.
Essential phrases
In the order you are likely to need them. Play each one, repeat it, and read the note underneath — knowing when to say a sentence matters as much as saying it correctly.
请问，地铁票在哪儿买？請問，地鐵票在哪兒買？
Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) dìtiěpiào (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎr (third tone, dipping) mǎi? (third tone, dipping)
Excuse me, where do I buy a metro ticket?
When to use it
For a first, single journey. Machines take cash and mobile payment and usually have an English option; the single-journey ticket is a plastic token or card you feed back in at the exit gate.
我想办一张交通卡。我想辦一張交通卡。
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) bàn (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) zhāng (first tone, high and level) jiāotōngkǎ. (first tone, high and level)
I would like to get a transport card.
When to use it
Say it at the 客服中心, the customer service desk inside the station, not at the ticket machines. 交通卡 (jiāotōngkǎ) covers metro and bus, and often a few other things besides.
请问，办卡要押金吗？請問，辦卡要押金嗎？
Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) bàn (fourth tone, falling) kǎ (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) yājīn (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone)
Excuse me, is there a deposit on the card?
When to use it
Physical cards usually carry a refundable deposit. Ask at the same time where it can be refunded, because not every station office handles card returns.
我想充五十块。我想充五十塊。
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) chōng (first tone, high and level) wǔshí (third tone, dipping) kuài. (fourth tone, falling)
I would like to top it up with fifty yuan.
When to use it
充 (chōng) is the verb for topping up any card or account. Top-ups are done at the service desk, at a machine, or in some cities by tapping the card against the back of your phone.
请问，用手机可以扫码进站吗？請問，用手機可以掃碼進站嗎？
Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) yòng (fourth tone, falling) shǒujī (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) sǎomǎ (third tone, dipping) jìn (fourth tone, falling) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)
Excuse me, can I scan a code with my phone to enter the station?
When to use it
This is how most people travel now. 扫码 (sǎomǎ) is to scan a code; you hold your phone screen under the reader on the gate rather than touching a card to it.
乘车码在哪个应用里？乘車碼在哪個應用裡？
Chéngchēmǎ (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎge (third tone, dipping) yìngyòng (fourth tone, falling) lǐ? (third tone, dipping)
Which app is the travel QR code in?
When to use it
乘车码 (chéngchēmǎ) is the transit QR code. Depending on the city it lives in Alipay, in WeChat, or in the metro operator’s own app — ask, because the wrong one will not open the gate.
请问，公交车可以刷这张卡吗？請問，公交車可以刷這張卡嗎？
Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) gōngjiāochē (first tone, high and level) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) shuā (first tone, high and level) zhè (fourth tone, falling) zhāng (first tone, high and level) kǎ (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone)
Excuse me, can I use this card on the bus?
When to use it
刷卡 (shuā kǎ) is to tap or swipe a card. Buses are usually flat-fare, so you tap once when you board; buses that charge by distance will tell you to tap again when you get off.
这张卡在别的城市能用吗？這張卡在別的城市能用嗎？
Zhè (fourth tone, falling) zhāng (first tone, high and level) kǎ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) bié (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) chéngshì (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) yòng (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)
Can this card be used in other cities?
When to use it
Some cards carry the 交通联合 interoperability mark and work in many other cities; plain city cards do not. Worth asking before a weekend trip rather than at a gate in another province.
学生卡可以打折吗？學生卡可以打折嗎？
Xuéshēngkǎ (second tone, rising) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) dǎzhé (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone)
Is there a student discount card?
When to use it
打折 (dǎzhé) means to give a discount. Student rates exist in many cities but usually require registering the card with proof of enrolment at a designated office, not just showing a student card at the gate.
我的卡余额不够，在哪儿充值？我的卡餘額不夠，在哪兒充值？
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) kǎ (third tone, dipping) yú (second tone, rising) é (second tone, rising) bú (second tone, rising) gòu, (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎr (third tone, dipping) chōngzhí? (first tone, high and level)
There is not enough left on my card — where can I top it up?
When to use it
余额 (yú’é) is the remaining balance and 充值 (chōngzhí) is to top up. The gate will refuse a card with too little on it, so check the balance shown on the reader as you tap in.
出站的时候刷不了，怎么办？出站的時候刷不了，怎麼辦？
Chū (first tone, high and level) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) shíhou (second tone, rising) shuā (first tone, high and level) bu (neutral tone) liǎo, (third tone, dipping) zěnme (third tone, dipping) bàn? (fourth tone, falling)
It will not scan when I try to exit — what should I do?
When to use it
Go to the 客服中心 beside the gates rather than trying again. 刷不了 is the potential form: it will not scan. Staff can open the gate and settle the fare manually.
请问，去人民广场要换乘吗？在哪一站换？請問，去人民廣場要換乘嗎？在哪一站換？
Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) Rénmín (second tone, rising) Guǎngchǎng (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) huànchéng (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone) Zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎ (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) huàn? (fourth tone, falling)
Excuse me, do I need to change lines to get to People’s Square? At which station?
When to use it
换乘 (huànchéng) is to change lines. Ask for the station name and repeat it back; interchange stations are often large, and the transfer walk can take several minutes.
末班车几点？末班車幾點？
Mòbānchē (fourth tone, falling) jǐ (third tone, dipping) diǎn? (third tone, dipping)
What time is the last train?
When to use it
Ask before an evening out, not after. 末班车 (mòbānchē) is the last service, and the time differs by line and by direction; it is printed at the end of the platform and shown in the metro app.
我想退卡，押金和余额能退吗？我想退卡，押金和餘額能退嗎？
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) tuì (fourth tone, falling) kǎ, (third tone, dipping) yājīn (first tone, high and level) hé (second tone, rising) yú (second tone, rising) é (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) tuì (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)
I would like to return the card — can the deposit and the remaining balance be refunded?
When to use it
Do this before you leave the city, and ask which stations handle refunds — usually only a few designated service centres do, and they may want the card undamaged and the original receipt.
Cultural notes
Physical transport cards still exist and still work, but for most people they have been replaced by a , a travel QR code generated inside Alipay, WeChat or the city metro operator’s own app. Which app carries the code depends on the city, so it is worth asking rather than assuming. Whichever you use, the mechanics are the same: you present card or code at the gate on the way in and again on the way out. Metro fares are calculated by distance, so both taps matter; failing to scan out leaves the journey open and the system will charge a penalty fare or refuse your next entry, and the fix is the , the customer service window beside the gates, where staff settle it in a minute. Buses are normally flat-fare within a city and you scan or tap only once as you board, though some suburban and inter-city routes charge by distance and ask you to tap again. A physical is bought at a station service centre, usually with a refundable deposit, and topped up there or at a machine; some cards carry the interoperability mark and work in many other cities, while a plain local card does not. Student concessions exist in a number of cities but almost always require registering the card against proof of enrolment at a designated office rather than simply showing a student card at the gate. Two practical points. Every metro entrance has a security check — — where bags go through a scanner and drinks may be sampled, so allow a few minutes at busy stations. And the last service is earlier than many visitors expect: the time is printed at the end of each platform and shown in the app, and it differs by line and by direction, so check it before a night out rather than after.
These notes describe common practice, not rules. Requirements and procedures differ between cities, institutions and years — confirm anything procedural with the office, clinic or company itself.
Vocabulary
No word list has been attached to this scenario yet. Every phrase above is searchable word by word in the dictionary, and tapping a word inside the tutor role-play adds it to your review queue.
Dictionary →Offline phrase card
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HSK Guide · Offline phrase card
Transport Cards and Getting Through the Gate
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请问，地铁票在哪儿买？請問，地鐵票在哪兒買？
Qǐngwèn, dìtiěpiào zài nǎr mǎi?
Excuse me, where do I buy a metro ticket?
我想办一张交通卡。我想辦一張交通卡。
Wǒ xiǎng bàn yì zhāng jiāotōngkǎ.
I would like to get a transport card.
请问，办卡要押金吗？請問，辦卡要押金嗎？
Qǐngwèn, bàn kǎ yào yājīn ma?
Excuse me, is there a deposit on the card?
我想充五十块。我想充五十塊。
Wǒ xiǎng chōng wǔshí kuài.
I would like to top it up with fifty yuan.
请问，用手机可以扫码进站吗？請問，用手機可以掃碼進站嗎？
Qǐngwèn, yòng shǒujī kěyǐ sǎomǎ jìn zhàn ma?
Excuse me, can I scan a code with my phone to enter the station?
乘车码在哪个应用里？乘車碼在哪個應用裡？
Chéngchēmǎ zài nǎge yìngyòng lǐ?
Which app is the travel QR code in?
请问，公交车可以刷这张卡吗？請問，公交車可以刷這張卡嗎？
Qǐngwèn, gōngjiāochē kěyǐ shuā zhè zhāng kǎ ma?
Excuse me, can I use this card on the bus?
这张卡在别的城市能用吗？這張卡在別的城市能用嗎？
Zhè zhāng kǎ zài bié de chéngshì néng yòng ma?
Can this card be used in other cities?
学生卡可以打折吗？學生卡可以打折嗎？
Xuéshēngkǎ kěyǐ dǎzhé ma?
Is there a student discount card?
我的卡余额不够，在哪儿充值？我的卡餘額不夠，在哪兒充值？
Wǒ de kǎ yú’é bú gòu, zài nǎr chōngzhí?
There is not enough left on my card — where can I top it up?
出站的时候刷不了，怎么办？出站的時候刷不了，怎麼辦？
Chū zhàn de shíhou shuā bu liǎo, zěnme bàn?
It will not scan when I try to exit — what should I do?
请问，去人民广场要换乘吗？在哪一站换？請問，去人民廣場要換乘嗎？在哪一站換？
Qǐngwèn, qù Rénmín Guǎngchǎng yào huànchéng ma? Zài nǎ yí zhàn huàn?
Excuse me, do I need to change lines to get to People’s Square? At which station?
末班车几点？末班車幾點？
Mòbānchē jǐ diǎn?
What time is the last train?
我想退卡，押金和余额能退吗？我想退卡，押金和餘額能退嗎？
Wǒ xiǎng tuì kǎ, yājīn hé yú’é néng tuì ma?
I would like to return the card — can the deposit and the remaining balance be refunded?