Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in Macau - cash only, or do cards work too?
Honestly, using the Macau Pass made things easy. From my guesthouse near Rua da Felicidade, I loaded 100 MOP at an ICBC bank machine and just tapped for every ride. Even the new Taipa LRT was smooth with it. No more fumbling for coins, and fares were cheaper. If you’re staying longer than a couple of days, don’t bother with cash each time - grab the card. The buses connected me easily from A-Ma Temple all the way to Coloane Village without stress.
Public transport in Macau can feel behind compared to Hong Kong. Staying in Taipa Village, I expected to just tap my Revolut card on buses, but nope - cash only, and exact coins at that. Even the LRT didn’t accept bank cards, only Macau Pass. Once I ran to a nearby HSBC ATM to break a note just to board. For such a tourist-heavy place, it’s odd they don’t allow normal debit cards. Bring coins or get the prepaid pass early.
I was based in Cotai near the Venetian and took buses to the historic center daily. The drivers wanted exact change - I learned this the hard way when I tried giving a 20 MOP note. After that I bought a Macau Pass at 7-Eleven near Rua do Campo and topped it up with cash. For the LRT, the pass worked fine too. No direct debit card use possible, which surprised me since Macau is so modern with casinos everywhere.
Macau doesn’t really have a metro like Hong Kong, though the LRT runs on Taipa Island. I stayed near Senado Square and used buses all the time. You can pay cash, but drivers only accept exact change in MOP coins. Most locals use the Macau Pass card, which works on both buses and the light rail. I topped it up at a BNU Bank ATM near Praia Grande. Cards like Visa or Mastercard aren’t accepted directly on buses, so either cash or Macau Pass is the way.