Detect an out-of-station metro transfer before travel day

A route diagram looks connected but the transfer goes outside

• Situation: after a 15-day Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai group trip, the traveller found some apparent interchanges required exiting, walking outdoors and re-entering.
• A line intersection on a diagram does not prove that the platforms connect inside the paid area. Check the exact station and line pair in the local operator’s route planner. In Shanghai, a designated out-of-station transfer can preserve continuous fare calculation when the same eligible transport card or same QR account exits and re-enters within 30 minutes; a single-journey ticket requires a new ticket.
• Shanghai action: Save the entering line/direction, transfer station, next line/direction and the words 出站换乘. If signs direct you outside, tap out normally, follow the named exit and re-enter within 30 minutes using the same supported card or the same channel and account. Do not switch from WeChat to Alipay or between QR accounts; official guidance warns that channel switching can cause a missing trip or duplicate charge. Shanghai’s designated out-of-station fare rule and same-channel/account instruction were checked on 29 August 2026 against the linked Transport Commission and city guidance. Recheck the station’s current signs and supported fare medium before using it; a different city, code channel or changed interchange can change the answer.
• Important correction: Do not copy the old official five-station list as current. 娄山关路 Line 2 ↔ Line 15 opened an underground paid-area connection on 31 December 2024 and is no longer an outdoor transfer. The official notice confirming the Loushanguan Road Line 2–15 paid-area connection opened on 31 December 2024 was checked on 29 August 2026. That correction does not validate the remaining historical station list for today’s journey.
• Historical Shanghai examples still requiring day-of confirmation: 长清路 Line 7 ↔ 13; 上海火车站 Line 1 ↔ 3/4; 南京西路 Line 2 ↔ 12/13; and 虹桥2号航站楼 Line 2 ↔ 10, where the route can depend on direction. The 2021 FAQ is not a new complete current list.
• Ask staff: 这个换乘需要出站吗？从哪个出口走？我用的是乘车码，30分钟内能连续计费吗？ If the original medium cannot re-enter, go to the service centre instead of repeatedly trying different QR codes. If more than 30 minutes pass, expect two journeys.
• Other cities: Use Beijing Metro’s current route/station information or 010-96165 for Beijing and the official Xi’an Metro/current transport-department network for Xi’an. Do not extend Shanghai’s 30-minute fare rule nationwide.
• Stop line: The original city, station, two lines, direction and date are missing, so the exact incident cannot be identified. For luggage, rain or mobility limits, choose an all-inside route even if it adds stations.