How to pay for Shanghai Metro with a foreign card
For the regular metro, the clearest official option is to buy a ticket with a foreign bank card at a station service center. The Maglev separately supports direct tap-and-go with major international cards.
Regular metro
Shanghai says POS terminals at service centers across the metro accept domestic and international bank cards for ticket purchases. Ask staff for the destination if the machine or app feels unclear.
Maglev from Pudong Airport
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards can be tapped directly at Maglev gates. Enable small-value contactless payment and use the same card for the journey.
Backups
Keep cash or a supported mobile-payment setup as a backup, and ask the station service center to sell you a ticket if direct payment fails. Do not assume every foreign card will work at every device.