Getting around
How to ride the Shanghai Metro
Shanghai's metro is clean, cheap, and has English signage. You can pay directly with Alipay — no ticket machine queues needed.
Set up metro payment via Alipay
Open Alipay → search "Metro" or tap the metro icon in the home screen shortcuts.
Select your city (Shanghai, Beijing, etc.) and activate the metro QR code. This links to your Alipay balance or linked card.
Alternatively: WeChat → Services → City Services → Metro works the same way.
The first time you use Alipay for metro, it asks you to activate 'Metro Code' — do this on WiFi before heading to the station.
Get your QR code
In the Alipay metro section, tap Ride Code (乘车码). A QR code appears on screen.
Keep your phone screen brightness up — a dim screen sometimes fails to scan in darker stations.
The QR code expires every few minutes for security. Generate it right before you scan — don't screenshot it in advance.
Scan at the turnstile
At the entrance turnstile, find the blue QR code scanner panel (usually on the right side of the reader).
Hold your phone with the QR code facing the scanner. The gate opens in under a second.
At your destination, scan again at the exit turnstile — the correct fare is calculated automatically based on distance.
Face the turnstile, hold your phone QR-code-down about 3–5cm from the blue scanner panel. You'll hear a beep and the gate opens. The fare is deducted automatically.
Navigate the network
Shanghai Metro has English signage throughout — line numbers, station names, and exit numbers are all in English as well as Chinese.
The Amap app (高德地图) gives excellent metro directions with English support. It will tell you which line, which direction, how many stops, and which exit to use.
Fares range from ¥3–10 depending on distance. Cheap compared to taxis.
Download the Metro map offline before you go — search 'Shanghai Metro map PDF 2025'. The English station names on signs match what's in Amap and Apple Maps.
Shanghai Metro key lines for tourists