Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ATM-like machine at the bank or online. Some meters are “smart” meters and can
accept either method of payment, while some need a physical trip to the bank.
When you sign your lease, make sure you ask your landlord exactly how and
where you pay each for utility. There should be more than just one bank that works
for each card, so if your landlord tells you only one bank, ask the teller what other
banks can also be used. Write it all down (it's very helpful to put a label on each card
to remind yourself where to recharge it). If you're living in a higher-quality complex
it's quite likely that the property management office or clubhouse has a 24-hour ma-
chine that allows you to conveniently recharge all cards. If you're lucky enough to
have a trustworthy
ā
yí,
then often this becomes one of their assigned duties. One ma-
chine to keep your eye out for is a JiaoFeiYi machine (
www.jiaofeiyi.net
). These can
recharge both smart meters and smart cards and work for all UnionPay cards.
RECHARGING SMART CARDS (IC)
The basic way to recharge your smart card is to go to the bank, get a ticket and wait
in line, and then finally hand the teller your smart card and some cash. This can be
a major headache if you try to do it at big, busy banks, such as ICBC. Try to find a
smaller bank, such as the Beijing Rural Commercial Bank or China Everbright Bank.
You may even find that many of these banks have machines that allow you to bypass
the teller and do it yourself. Ask a security guard or bank worker to help you use the
machine.
RECHARGING A SMART METER
If your meter can be recharged via a code number rather just physically with a smart
card, congratulations—life is going to be much easier. There are various electronic
options. First there is Internet banking. Check with your individual bank for how to
do this.
Next, several banks, such as Bank of Beijing (
北京银行
) and ICBC (
工商银行
)
have dedicated bill-paying machines (often 24 hours) at which you can directly add
credit to your meter. Simply choose the option you need, punch in the code number
of your home, swipe your bank card, and that's it. Unfortunately these machines are
usually in Chinese only. Some ATMs will also provide this service, but again, you
need to choose the Chinese format to access these services. Fortunately the bank se-
