Short answer
Xiamen's metro is clean, signed in English and cheap. Fares run on distance: around ¥2 for the first four kilometres, rising in steps to about ¥6 for the longest trips. Trains start around 05:30 and the last ones leave the city-centre ends of the lines between about 22:30 and 23:00.
For a visitor the fastest setup is the Alipay transport QR code: verify your identity with your passport, switch the city to Xiamen, then scan in and out at the gates. Single-journey tickets from the machines work too, and a staffed window sells transit passes with a passport. Contactless foreign bank cards are not something to depend on here.
Two limits matter. No line reaches Gulangyu — daytime ferries leave from the International Cruise Center on Line 2, night boats from Lundu Wharf, closest to Line 1's Zhenhai Road station. And nothing runs after about 23:00, so a late dinner across the island ends in a taxi.
The lines that matter to visitors
The network runs Lines 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. Three of them carry almost everything a short trip needs.
| Line | Route | Stops you will use |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | Zhenhai Road ↔ Yannei, via Xiamen North Railway Station | Zhenhai Road (Zhongshan Road, old town), Zhongshan Park, Hubin East Road (Xiamen University, Nanputuo), Lücuo (transfer to Line 2), Gaoqi and Dianqian (airport side), Jimei School Village, North Railway Station |
| Line 2 | Wuyuanwan ↔ Tianzhushan | International Cruise Center (daytime Gulangyu ferry), Wuyuanwan Wetland Park, Haicang Bay Park, Lücuo (transfer to Line 1) |
| Line 3 | Xiamen Railway Station ↔ Caicuo | Xiamen Railway Station (central rail hub), Sports Center, Wuyuanwan (transfer to Line 2) |
| Lines 4 and 6 | Into Jimei, Tong'an and Xiang'an | Mostly outside the tourist core |
Line names and station assignments have changed repeatedly as lines opened; trust the station map at the entrance.
Fares, in numbers
| Distance | Fare |
|---|---|
| First 4 km | ¥2 |
| 4–12 km | ¥3 |
| 12–18 km | ¥4 |
| 18–28 km | ¥5 |
| 28–43 km | ¥6 |
| Beyond 43 km | ¥1 per further 20 km |
Children under 1.2 metres travel free. The Xiamen transport smart card takes 10 per cent off every trip. Most sightseeing journeys — old town to university, university to Jimei — land in the ¥2 to ¥4 band.
Four ways to pay, ranked for a visitor
- Alipay transport QR codeOpen Alipay, tap Transport, select Xiamen, verify your identity with your passport and bind a card. You then get a QR to scan at the entry gate and again at the exit. No Chinese bank account needed.
- Single-journey ticket from a machineEnglish interface, pay with cash or a Chinese mobile wallet, take the round plastic token. Tap it on entry and drop it in the slot at the exit — tokens do not come home with you.
- Transit pass or smart card from a windowSold with your passport and loaded with cash, worth it over a longer stay because of the 10 per cent discount. Payment at the window has been described as accepting foreign bank cards, cash and mobile payment.
- WeChat Pay ride codeWorks in many Chinese cities through the transport mini program. Alipay has the better record for foreign visitors, so set that up first.
Hours, frequency and the last train
Trains run roughly every three to five minutes at peak and every five to eight minutes off-peak. Service starts around 05:30; the last trains leave the city-centre ends between about 22:30 and 23:00, with per-line variation.
The direction catches people out. The last train running out to the suburbs usually goes later than the last train back into town, so check the board for your direction rather than the station's overall closing time.
What the metro does not cover
- Gulangyu. No bridge, no cars, no metro. Line 2 for the daytime ferries, Line 1 to Zhenhai Road for the night boats. The Gulangyu guide has the wharf details.
- The Island Ring Road. The coastal road with the bike lane has no line along it. Shared bikes and taxis cover it.
- The Fujian tulou. Two and a half to three hours away by road. See the tulou guide for how that day works.
When a taxi or a shared bike wins
The metro is not always faster once you count the walk at each end.
| Situation | Better option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| After 23:00 | Taxi or ride-hailing | The trains have stopped |
| Three people with luggage | Taxi or ride-hailing | About the price of three tickets |
| Coastal road and Zengcuoan | Shared bike | The bike lane is continuous |
| Cross-island to Haicang or Xiang'an | Taxi, or metro plus taxi | A transfer and a long exit walk eat the saving |
| Inside the old town | Walk | Zhongshan Road to Shapowei is quicker on foot |
Shared bikes are rented through the Alipay and WeChat mini programs and charge a small per-30-minute fee shown before you confirm. Parking is restricted to marked zones.
The mistakes to avoid
- Turning up at Zhenhai Road for the daytime Gulangyu ferry. The tourist boats leave from the International Cruise Center on Line 2.
- Leaving the QR code until you are at the gate. Verification and card binding take a few minutes the first time. Do it at the hotel.
- Assuming a foreign bank card taps at the gate. It generally does not in Xiamen.
- Planning a cross-island day without checking the last train. The return leg is what strands people.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the Xiamen metro without a Chinese bank account?
Yes. Buy single-journey tickets from the machines or a staffed window with cash, use a foreign bank card where the window accepts one, or set up the Alipay transport QR code after real-name verification with your passport. A Chinese bank account is convenient but not required.
How much is a metro ride in Xiamen?
The fare is distance-based: around ¥2 for the first four kilometres, then rising in steps to about ¥6 for the longest trips on the network. Most sightseeing journeys on Xiamen Island fall in the ¥2 to ¥4 band.
Do I need my passport to ride the metro?
Not at the gates, but you need it to buy a transit pass or smart card at a staffed window, and to set up QR-code payment in Alipay or WeChat. Carry the physical document rather than a photo.
What time does the Xiamen metro close?
Service starts around 05:30 and the last trains leave the city-centre ends of the lines between about 22:30 and 23:00, with small differences per line. The final train towards the suburbs tends to go later than the final train back into town.
Which metro line goes to Gulangyu?
None directly, because the island has no bridge for vehicles. Metro Line 2 stops at the International Cruise Center, the daytime tourist ferry terminal at Dongdu. Line 1's Zhenhai Road station is the closest metro stop to Lundu Wharf, which handles the night sailings.
When is a taxi or ride-hailing better than the metro in Xiamen?
After the last trains, when you have luggage and more than two people, for the coastal Island Ring Road where there is no line, and for cross-island trips out to Haicang or Xiang'an where a transfer and a long walk eat the saving.
Related reading
The two-day Xiamen itinerary shows which lines a real visit uses, and the tulou guide covers the one big day trip the metro cannot help with.
Compiled from Xiamen metro line, station, fare and operating-hour information, official guidance on buying tickets and passes as a foreign visitor, and public transport payment documentation, cross-checked against two independent travel sources on 30 September 2026. Fares, last-train times, line assignments and accepted payment methods change with network expansions and local notices — the station map, the fare board and the official app are authoritative.