Beijing's public transit card is the Yikatong card.
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Beijing uses the Yikatong card. The reloadable Yikatong card covers the subway and buses across the city.
You can buy it at subway station machines.
Usually yes — it's typically faster than buying paper tickets and often cheaper per ride, even for just a couple of days.
In some cities you can tap a contactless card or phone directly, though it's worth checking current signage or the transit authority's site, since not every system supports it yet.