China
ChinaGetting around
A QR code replaces the ticket, and the rule sheet is longer than you expect.
Do I need to buy a ticket for every ride?
No. A QR code in a payment app covers every line, and contactless bank cards work at the gates too.
How do you get a taxi?
Through an app. Beijing's own guidance says waving at the kerb is so obsolete it barely works — DiDi, with an English interface, is how rides happen.
What are the rules on the subway?
A longer list than most systems publish. No eating or drinking, no smoking including e-cigarettes, and no music without headphones.
Do I really get my bag searched to ride the subway?
Yes, every time. Screening before the gates is mandatory, and refusing it means you do not get in.
Do I need my passport to ride the train?
Yes — every rail ticket is real-name, tied to the passport that bought it, and the passport itself is what opens the gate.