Shanghai Public Transport Card

The Shanghai Public Transportation Card (SPTC) (Chinese: 上海公共交通卡; pinyin: Shànghǎi gōnggòng jiāotōng kǎ also known as 交通一卡通; Jiāotōng Yìkǎtōng) is a contactless card, utilising RFID technology, which can be used to access many forms of public transport and related services in and around Shanghai. Shanghai public transportation card is also provided in the form of Apple Pay as well as QR codes, which are accessible through WeChat, Alipay, APPs and miniprograms, and enjoy the same price discounts as cards.

Shanghai public transport card

Native name
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	上海公共交通卡
Traditional Chinese	上海公共交通卡
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shànghǎi gōnggòng jiāotōng kǎ
Also known as Jiaotong Yikatong
Simplified Chinese	交通一卡通
Traditional Chinese	交通一卡通
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiāotōng yīkǎtōng
Location	Shanghai
Launched	1999
Technology	ISO 14443
Manager	Shanghai Public Transportation Card Co., Ltd.
Currency	RMB (RMB 1,000 maximum load)
Credit expiry	None
Auto recharge	Automatic Add Value Service
Website	Official website

Uses

The SPTC is a form of rechargeable cash card, and allows access to, among other things in Shanghai:

• Metros
• Airport maglev
• Trams
• Buses and trolleybuses
• Ferries
• Taxis
• Tourist centers
• Car parks
• Fuel stations
• Expressways
• Auto repair service

Among the list above, metro, maglev, trams, buses, trolleybuses and ferries also accept Shanghai Publis Transportation QR codes.

Shanghai's latest transportation card utilizes China T-Union and can be used in most cities in China that also utilized T-Union.

Purchase and funding

A variant of Shanghai public transportation card: a small sticker that can be attached to anything, e.g. to a phone

There are five types of SPTCs:

• Standard
• Memorial
• Mini
• Personalized
• Watch

Only the Standard card has a refundable deposit (20 RMB); other cards cannot be refunded, but have a lower deposit (20 RMB) and are resalable through other means. Cards can be reloaded in multiples of 10 RMB, at selected convenience stores, banks throughout Shanghai and service counters at all metro stations, or in multiples of 50 RMB in many local Metro stations (by machine; this is only possible for standard-sized cards with the exception of some machines in line 8 stations that are capable of taking most sizes). Furthermore, Android phone users can reload the cards (numbers started with U only) on the SPTC App, using NFC. Should a cardholder attempt to board a bus, ferry or the metro without sufficient funds in their card, an overdraft will be allowed if the balance (prior to the overdraft) is non-negative and the fare is less than 10 RMB.

Personalized cards are also available upon request at the Transportation Card Service Center on West Nanjing Road for a fee of 60 yuan (not inclusive of any credit).

Discounts

The following discounts are available to card holders and QR code users:

Interchange discount

When cardholders take a different bus within a 120-minute period from first touch-in on the previous bus, the second trip is discounted by 1 RMB, likewise the metro (while the 120-min window starts from touch-out). But no discount is applied when taking two consecutive metro journeys. For example, a trip from Jinshajiang Road/Zhenbei Road (118 Plaza) to Zhangjiang High-Technology Park costs 7 RMB in cash (Bus 94 -> Metro Line 2), but with the SPTC, the cost is reduced to 6 RMB. On some bus routes which have a one-yuan fare, trips will be free. For example, exiting from a metro station and then taking a four-digit-route bus (usually serving a residential district quite far from the station, and having one-yuan fare due to subsidy), the bus section would be free.

Metro discount

When 70 RMB is used on the same card or QR code account on the Shanghai Metro within one calendar month, further metro fares are discounted 10%. This discount is applied after the Interchange discount, i.e. when both discounts are applied to a 4-RMB metro trip, the cost will be 2.7 RMB (The metro fare is 3 RMB after 1 RMB Interchange discount, then 10% discount on 3 RMB is 2.7 RMB).

Virtual transfer

For various reasons, free in-system transfer is not yet possible at some stations, such as Shanghai Railway Station. While passengers with single-ride tickets must exit and re-enter at these stations to transfer between lines (and therefore re-purchase tickets), Public Transportation Card holders or QR Code users are charged as if the two segments were one, as long as they re-enter within 30 minutes after they exited the other station. Fares are reduced during this process.

External links

• (in Chinese) Shanghai Public Transportation Card Co. official website
• (in Chinese) Check your stored-value card balance – Enter your Card Number (卡 号)and Press Left button (查询)