单车Everywhere
How to ride a shared bike in China
Yellow is Meituan, blue is HelloBike, teal is Qingju. All three unlock from inside Alipay, no separate app needed.
≈1.5 RMB / 15 minPrice
EverywhereCity
共享单车In Chinese
Set this up at home first
Alipay
支付宝EssentialPay anywhere, ride any shared bike, buy metro tickets, hail a Didi, book attraction tickets. One app covers most of the trip.
- Do this at home
- Install, sign up with your home phone number, add a Visa/Mastercard/JCB, then finish passport verification. Takes about 15 minutes and must be done before you land.
- What it replaces
- Cash, a transport card, a taxi app, a bike app
Step by step
- Open Alipay, tap Scan (扫一扫), scan the QR plate on the handlebar. First time only: it asks for passport verification, about two minutes.
- Tap the blue confirm button. The rear lock clicks open. Adjust the seat before you set off, the lever is under the saddle.
- Ride in the bike lane on the right side of the road. Cars turn right through red lights, so look right at every crossing.
- Park inside a white-painted bike zone or a P icon on the app map. Push the rear lock lever down by hand. Your phone buzzes and shows the fare.
Where to go
Every city on this trip. Best rides: Beijing's Second Ring hutongs, Shanghai's Former French Concession, Xi'an's city wall (rental bikes on top of the wall are separate).
The one mistake
Parking outside the zone. The trip cannot end, the meter keeps running, and you get a 2–5 RMB penalty.
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Related guides
Do you need a visa?
Check your passport against China's official lists.