I took the new Beijing Lu line 2 subway yesterday. It was not crowded and got me to Beichen quickly. There has been for some time a card that works for the subway and buses. It has a picture of the the subway train on it. These is a 20rmb deposit for this card. Use up your old bus card and get the new type. These are available at the Xiao Xi Men bus terminal.

Do you mean to say that the New card can be used for BOTH - Bus and Subway? Please explain.

It is an older card available when the first section of the subway opened. There are two cards one for bus only which most of us have used. There is a newer card which clearly says its for the subway and other public transit. It has a picture of a subway train on it. You have to ask for this one.

Some have an older person over 60 card, which is different and you get buses for free. I do know if it can be used on the new subway yet. It could not be used on the orginal older subway to Cheng Gong.

I wonder if it would work without interference if you cut the chips from both the subway and bus cards and stuck them in a card holder or even inside the back cover of your phone.

It would work until you have to recharge the chips - then you're SOL for the refund value of the cards...

Today I went to Xiao Xi Men (Xi An Ma Road - Walmart) to exchange my old bus card for the new Subway/Bus Card.

I was refunded the money in my old card but I was not refunded the 20 Yuan deposit. We asked why and we were told that 1 Yuan is deducted from the card every month. After the 20 Yuan has been used up the 1 Yuan fee is automatically stopped.

So for all of us who believed this was a deposit, we now know this is really a hidden fee.

The new subway card also has this 20 Yuan hidden fee (Deposit).

Thanks HFCAMPO clear and useful info

In Beijing you got all of your 20 yuan when returning the card. No hidden fees, and it doesn't take from the deposit fee if your balance is negative. So, I would want to double check that, even if it's only 20 yuan.

Hmmm, it sounds like someone behind the counter is pocketing 20 yuan.

I just changed my old bus card at XiaoXimen and confirm what HFCAMPO has written. The one rmb taken from the deposit is for depreciation. The deposit is not refundable.

Each time you use the card you get a ten fen discount.

So if you use the bus less then ten times a month its cheaper to pay in cash..If you dont include ease of paying with a bus card when you do the maths.