One of the most noticeable aspects of the Beijing Subway is how tickets are still checked manually by humans at the entrance to each platform. This era of manual ticket checking is about end as Beijing introduces its new automatic fare collection system.
Starting in mid-May, the current one-way paper tickets will be replaced with new electronic tickets, as announced by the Beijing Subway. Checking each ticket manually has caused long lines in subway stations. When the project was launched in August 2004, the subway system was preparing for the large crowds during the Beijing 2008 Olympics. A news report from the People's Daily in 2005 has stated that machines are being installed in subway stations.
Beijing already has introduced the Yikatong Card, a prepaid smart card that can be used on the bus and subway.
