City Buses in China: How to Ride
China's city buses are cheap, frequent, and cover everywhere the metro doesn't. Once you know the three ways to pay, they're one of the easiest ways to get around.
Three Ways to Pay
1. Transport QR code (乘车码) — easiest for visitors.
Open Alipay → 出行 (Transport) → Bus or Metro, and the app will locate your city and prompt you to claim that city's electronic transport card (usually one tap to agree and activate). WeChat has its own 乘车码 mini-program, and UnionPay's 云闪付 app offers one too. Important: the code is per city — when you travel to a new city, claim that city's card in the same place. Board by holding the QR code to the scanner by the front door; the fare is deducted automatically.
2. Physical transport card (交通卡/一卡通) — best for longer stays.
Buy at metro stations, convenience stores, or card service centers. Most require a small refundable deposit. Look for cards marked 交通联合 (China T-Union) — these work on buses and metros in hundreds of cities nationwide, so one card can travel with you.
3. Cash (投币) — the fallback.
Drop exact change into the fare box by the driver. Fares are typically ¥1–2 per ride (¥2 for air-conditioned buses), and no change is given, so keep small coins and notes handy.
Boarding and Riding
- Board at the front door. Tap your card, scan your QR code, or drop coins as you pass the driver.
- Watch the displays. Stops are announced in Mandarin over the speaker and shown on electronic displays; tier-1 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) often add English announcements.
- Signal your stop. Press the red 下车 button or pull the cord before your stop — on emptier routes, drivers may skip stops if nobody signals.
- Exit at the rear door on most buses.
First/Last Buses and Transfers
- First and last buses (首班车/末班车) are posted at every stop sign. Service typically runs roughly 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, but the last bus on your specific route is what matters — check before a late night out.
- Transfer discounts (换乘优惠) exist in many cities: tap the same card or QR code on a second bus (or bus-to-metro) within 60–120 minutes and the second fare is reduced or free. Rules vary by city.
Planning Your Route
高德地图 (Amap) and 百度地图 (Baidu Maps) are the essential tools: enter your destination and they show which bus to take, where to board, real-time arrivals, and how many stops remain. Both work without a Chinese account for basic route planning. The stop signs themselves (站牌) list every route serving that stop and its first/last bus times — worth a photo for reference.
Frequently asked questions
What if I have no small change?
Use a transport QR code or a physical card — that's exactly what they're for. If your phone is dead and you only have a ¥100 note, ask a convenience store to break it, or just take the metro instead.
Are announcements in English?
In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, major routes usually announce in both Chinese and English. In smaller cities, expect Mandarin only — follow along on Amap's real-time tracking so you know when to get off.
Are there night buses?
Big cities run night routes (often numbered with 夜, e.g. 夜1路) covering main corridors after the regular network shuts down. They're less frequent, so check the schedule in Amap first.
Sources
- https://wise.com/zh-cn/blog/alipay-transport-qr-code-guide
- https://render.alipay.com/p/f/fd-j5c107e4/index.html
- https://www.shanghai.gov.cn/xbhygq/20231206/646ef8c98d8b4b0995177dd8c71d595c.html