The Beijing Transportation Card is very convenient if you plan to use public transportation in this city. Indeed, you will avoid the queue at the counter and the struggle to have the exact change. Moreover, while you can’t save money on subway fares, you will enjoy a discount on bus fares if you swipe your card (up to 60%).
This card can be used on the subway, on public city buses and for the airport express. You can get a Beijing Transportation Card at almost every counter of the subway stations, in some supermarkets and post offices. It’s very easy to get, you will just have to go to the teller and ask him for a Yikatong (Beijing Transportation Card, 北京市政交通一卡通 Běijīng Shìzhèng Jiāotōng Yīkǎtōng).
Although the card in itself is free, you will have to give a 20 RMB deposit that can be refunded when you no longer need the card. Once you have the card, you can recharge it according to your needs, the lowest amount you can add being 20 RMB. To top up your card, you can either go to the counter or to the automatic machines in the subway stations.
Whenever you wish to return the card, you can go to some specific subway stations or to the different branches of China City Bank.
