Getting Around · Step 8 · 公交指南
How to Take a Public Bus in China
The metro gets all the attention, but buses go where the metro doesn't. No English announcements, no idea where to pay — here's exactly how to ride one without panicking.
💡 Kat's Tip
Buses freaked my friend Max out more than anything else his first solo trip to Beijing — no announcements in English, drivers who will absolutely leave without him, so we had to do Facetime all the way. Set up your transport QR code the night before you need it, not while standing at the stop.
The 10-Second Version
1. Set up your code first
Activate your transport QR code in Alipay before you need it — do this from your hotel, not the bus stop.
2. Board at the front
Scan your code on the reader by the driver as you get on. Flat fare, usually ¥1–3 RMB.
3. Watch your stop
Track your position on Amap or Baidu Maps — don't rely on catching a Chinese-only announcement.
4. Exit at the back
Press the stop-request button (although most drivers stop at every stop), then get off through the rear door — even though you boarded at the front.
1
Set Up Your Transport QR Code Before You Travel
Do this from your hotel or apartment with good wifi — not standing at a bus stop with a queue behind you.
Using Alipay (recommended)
- 1Complete passport identity verification in Alipay if you haven't already (see our Alipay guide).
- 2Link an international Visa or Mastercard — no Chinese bank account required.
- 3Tap the transport icon on the Alipay home screen, or search "公交地铁" (bus & metro).
- 4Select your city and activate the transit code — you'll need to activate it separately for each city you visit.
- 5Your personal QR code now generates on demand under the transport tab.
Prefer WeChat? Search "乘车码" (chéngchēmǎ) inside WeChat Pay — setup is similar, though foreign card support varies more by city.
⚠️ Do This The Night Before
Identity verification can occasionally take a few hours to process. Don't find this out at 8am with a bus pulling away.
2
Find Your Bus and Stop
- •Use Amap (高德地图) or Baidu Maps for accurate routes and real-time arrival — Google Maps does not reliably work for China transit.
- •Bus stop signs list every route number that stops there, with the full sequence of stops in Chinese. Match your route number carefully.
- •Bus numbers in big cities run into the hundreds — double check you're boarding the right one, since several routes often share a stop.
3
Board and Scan Your Code
- 1Buses board through the front door only in most cities. Have your code ready before you reach the driver.
- 2Open Alipay, tap the transport icon, and let your code generate. Max out your screen brightness.
- 3Hold the code 5–10 cm from the reader by the driver for 1–2 seconds until it beeps green.
- 4Fares are flat on almost all city routes — pay once on entry, no tapping out.
ℹ️ Backup Plan
If your code fails to scan, most buses still accept coins in a fare box (exact change only, no change given). Keep a few ¥1 coins on you during your first week.
4
Find a Seat (or Hold On)
- •Seats near the front are reserved for elderly, pregnant, and disabled passengers — marked with a special icon.
- •Standing is completely normal, even for long rides. Hold the overhead rail — buses brake hard and often.
- •Rush hour is roughly 7:30–9am and 5–7pm. Riding just outside those windows is far more comfortable.
5
Know When to Get Off
- •Most buses announce the next stop over a speaker and on a screen — usually Chinese only, sometimes English or pinyin in bigger cities.
- •Track your live location on Amap or Baidu Maps instead of relying on the announcement.
- •Press the red stop-request button one stop before you want to get off — buses generally don't stop unless requested.
- •Exit through the rear door — the norm across almost every Chinese city, even though you boarded at the front.
FAQ: Things Nobody Tells You About Chinese Buses
Do I need exact change if I don't have a QR code set up? ▼
Yes. Fare boxes don't give change, so you need the exact fare in coins or small notes. This is exactly why setting up your Alipay transit code in advance is worth the ten minutes.
Is the same QR code used for the metro? ▼
In most cities, yes — the same Alipay transit code that opens metro gates also works scanning onto buses. One setup covers both.
What if the bus is full and doesn't stop for me? ▼
This happens, especially during rush hour. Don't take it personally — just wait for the next one. Frequency on major routes is usually every 5–10 minutes.
Can I use a bank card or Apple Pay instead of Alipay? ▼
Some cities — including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu — are piloting direct contactless bank card entry, but support is inconsistent station-by-station. Set up Alipay regardless.
Do kids ride free? ▼
Children under 1.2 meters tall generally ride free on buses, the metro, and high-speed rail — no ticket or QR code needed for them.
Are there English announcements? ▼
Sometimes, especially in Tier 1 cities on major routes, but don't count on it. This is exactly why we recommend tracking your stop visually on Amap or Baidu Maps.
🗺️ Get the Free Transit Cheat Sheet
A printable one-pager: Alipay transport code setup, bus vs metro vs bike, and the Chinese characters for "next stop" and "get off here."
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