Nanjing’s D4 and D9 buses have rolled out the use of Alipay on board, in a bid to make paying for fares more convenient for commuters.
The move, which took place on Aug 23, was the first of many to occur across Nanjing, with other modes of transport – including buses, subways, ferries and taxies – adopting the payment option if the trial proves to be efficient.
Changzhou, Wuxi, Xuzhou and other cities are also set to trialing the payment option, which encourages users to scan a QR code instead of paying with cash.
In order for a transport user to use the trail feature in Nanjing, the individual will need to first activate the feature in Alipay app and then scan the QR code available to pay for the fare. Once a passenger completes registration, the app will automatically generate a QR code. The user will then need to align the QR code on the mobile phone to the POS machine of the bus and the fare will be deducted from the passenger’s Alipay account.
Currently, the feature has been made available even without a network connection, and code recognition can be complete within 200 milliseconds.
Moreover, additional promotional campaigns will be launched in the future, including red packets and coupons for users of Alipay, according to staff at the Ant Financial Public Service Business Division. In the future, transport users will be able to receive coupons at nearby shops of the public transit stations they visit and stop at.
