Alipay starts offering the purchase of public transport cards via its mobile apps Alipay Wallet for cross-border travelers.
Users can purchase the transport cards on Alipay Wallet app with RMB before they travel overseas and collect the physical cards when they arrive at the destination’s airport.
Alipay offers transport cards for three destinations: Singapore, Thailand, and Macau. If the traveler still has remaining balance in the card when they finish the trip, the remaining fund can be transferred to their Alipay account.
It’s not the first time Alipay makes an effort in travel market. Alipay’s Yu’e Bao and Taobao Trip launched Lvyou Bao in July 2014, or “travel treasure”, a travel product with investment benefit. In the same month, Alipay reached a cooperation agreement with Global Blue in which Chinese tourists can use Alipay for tax refund while shopping in Europe.
Related: Rise of the China Outbound Tourism