How to buy a Shanghai transport card?

How to get a Shanghai transport card? Oh boy, let me tell you, it was a beast at first! Seriously, a total nightmare. I mean, I’d read about them online, but nothing really prepared me for the, you know, actual experience. I wandered around for ages, completely lost, thinking, “Where are these things?! Am I even in the right city?” Then, finally, a glimmer of hope – a metro station! And there it was, a little booth tucked away. Phew.

The deposit? Twenty yuan. Twenty! It felt like a fortune at the time, honestly. I remember thinking, “Twenty yuan?! For a card?!”, and then picturing all the street food I could buy instead. But hey, it’s manageable, right? Better than paying full fare every time.

Reloading it, though? That was a pleasant surprise! I found a 7-Eleven – and they do it! I was so relieved. Like, genuinely relieved. It was so much easier than I expected. So much easier than trying to figure out that vending machine thing I saw at another station – that thing looked complicated as heck. Anyway, my point is: don’t freak out if you can’t find one straight away. They’re everywhere. Seriously, everywhere. Just be prepared for that initial deposit – it’s a bit of a sting, but once you’ve got it, you’re golden. Trust me, it’s worth it. After all, that 20 yuan saved me a lot more in the long run! Now if only I could remember where I put that card…