Mobile payment activated on Xi'an subway

Passengers use mobile payment to take subway at the Dayanta Station of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 1, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Liu Xiao]

Metro services in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is now accepting mobile payments. 

Through Alipay, subway riders in Xi'an will be able to use a QR code on their phones to access all subway stations in the city. 

A passenger uses mobile payment to take subway at the Dayanta Station of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 1, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Liu Xiao]

Municipal officials in Xi'an suggest the new mobile payment option will make getting in and out of the subway system 2.5 to 3 times faster.

Alipay has also linked its "Ant Forest" system to the subway payments in Xi'an.

Every subway ride paid via the system will generate a certain amount of 'green energy' in the Ant Forest. Once a user generates enough 'green energy,' a real tree will be planted in areas suffering from desertification. 

A volunteer introduces the process of taking subway with mobile payment in Dayanta Station of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 1, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Liu Xiao]

Henan's capital, Zhengzhou, became the first Chinese city to adopt mobile payments on its subway system in September, 2017.

Subway riders in Hangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai are now also able to use mobile devices to pay for their trips.