No tickets needed for Hangzhou subway

2017-12-28
Xinhua

A passenger uses mobile payment to take subway at the Fengtan Road Subway Station in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province, Dec 27, 2017. Passengers in Hangzhou no longer need a ticket to take the subway. They can just swipe their smartphones, making Hangzhou the first city in China to realize mobile payments on its subway. Starting from Dec 27, users of Alipay, a mobile payment app, will get a QR code on their phones, which they can use to enter the electric gates at all 72 subway stations in the city. The price will be deducted from their Alipay account after they swipe to exit the subway. Similar services have also been opened by UnionPay. With its quick pass installed in smartphones, passengers can also take the subway without a ticket. [Photo/Xinhua]

HANGZHOU — Passengers in Hangzhou no longer need a ticket to take the subway. They can just swipe their smartphones, making Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province, the first city in China to realize mobile payments on its subway.

Starting from 5 pm on Dec 27, users of Alipay, a mobile payment app, will get a QR code on their phones, which they can use to enter the electric gates at all 72 subway stations in the city.

The price will be deducted from their Alipay account after they swipe to exit the subway.

Similar services have also been opened by UnionPay. With its quick pass installed in smartphones, passengers can also take the subway without a ticket.

A passenger uses mobile payment to take subway at the Fengtan Road Subway Station in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province, Dec 27, 2017. Passengers in Hangzhou no longer need a ticket to take the subway. They can just swipe their smartphones, making Hangzhou the first city in China to realize mobile payments on its subway. [Photo/Xinhua]

A passenger scans a QR code of Alipay, a mobile payment app, to take subway at the Fengtan Road Subway Station in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province, Dec 27, 2017. Passengers in Hangzhou no longer need a ticket to take the subway. They can just swipe their smartphones, making Hangzhou the first city in China to realize mobile payments on its subway.[Photo/Xinhua]

A new subway line will also open at 5 pm on Dec 27.

Since August, passengers have been able to pay with their mobiles to collect tickets at subway stations, and around 50 percent of passengers now choose mobile payment.

“The QR code-swiping and quick pass services will save passengers from buying and collecting tickets in advance, which will further shorten the queues for ticket purchases at subway stations,” said a manager with Hangzhou metro group.

A passenger swipes a UnionPay card to take subway at the Fengtan Road Subway Station in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province, Dec 27, 2017. Passengers in Hangzhou no longer need a ticket to take the subway. They can just swipe their smartphones, making Hangzhou the first city in China to realize mobile payments on its subway. [Photo/Xinhua]

Passengers use mobile payment to take subway at the Fengtan Road Subway Station in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province, Dec 27, 2017. Passengers in Hangzhou no longer need a ticket to take the subway. They can just swipe their smartphones, making Hangzhou the first city in China to realize mobile payments on its subway.[Photo/Xinhua]