China travel guide
How to Pay in China as a Visitor
Payment is one of the biggest surprises for first-time China visitors. A little setup before landing makes the trip much easier.
Set Up Mobile Payment
For visitors, mobile payment is the most important China trip setup. In Shanghai and Beijing, Alipay and WeChat Pay are used for taxis, restaurants, convenience stores, attraction tickets, and many small everyday purchases. Foreign credit cards still work in some hotels, luxury stores, and larger international restaurants, but they are not reliable for local meals or taxis. Before you fly, install both apps, add a Visa or Mastercard if supported, complete any identity checks requested by the app, and test that you can open the payment code. Do not wait until the airport Wi-Fi is slow and you are tired. In our local work with international guests, payment setup is one of the biggest differences between a calm arrival and a stressful first hour.
- ✓Install Alipay and WeChat before departure.
- ✓Bind a Visa, Mastercard, or other supported international card.
- ✓Complete identity checks before landing if prompted.
- ✓Keep your bank app ready for security confirmations.
Where Cards Still Help
International cards are still useful, but they should be treated as a backup rather than your main everyday payment method. Hotels that serve international guests often accept Visa or Mastercard, especially for room deposits. Higher-end restaurants, department stores, and some tourist-facing businesses may accept foreign cards. Small restaurants, local taxis, convenience stores, street snacks, and many attraction-adjacent shops usually expect mobile payment or cash. A taxi driver may not be able to process a foreign credit card at all. If you are planning a layover, this matters because one failed payment can waste precious time. Use your card for hotel and larger purchases, but prepare Alipay, WeChat Pay, and a small amount of RMB cash for normal movement.
- ✓Use cards mainly for hotels and larger businesses.
- ✓Do not expect foreign cards to work in taxis.
- ✓Keep mobile payment ready for small restaurants.
Alipay Tourist Pass: Step by Step
Alipay is often the easiest first payment app for visitors because it has a visitor-friendly flow and supports foreign card binding. The exact screen names can change, but the practical process is consistent: download Alipay, register with your mobile number, add an international card, complete verification if requested, and learn where the payment code and scan function are. Alipay Tourist Pass and visitor card features have changed over time, so use the current in-app guidance rather than relying on an old blog screenshot. Before landing, open the app on mobile data or Wi-Fi and confirm that your card appears. Some banks may block the first overseas-style transaction, so keep your banking app or SMS access available. A small test purchase at the airport can build confidence.
- ✓Download Alipay before departure.
- ✓Register with a phone number you can access abroad.
- ✓Add your foreign card and complete verification.
- ✓Find both Pay and Scan before you need them.
WeChat Pay vs Alipay
WeChat Pay and Alipay overlap, but they feel different. Alipay is often more straightforward for transport tools, mini-app services, and visitor payment setup. WeChat Pay is deeply tied to WeChat, which is also used for messaging, mini-programs, tickets, and local communication. WeChat Pay allows foreign card binding for visitors, but setup can sometimes be more sensitive to verification, account history, and phone number access. If you only prepare one app, choose Alipay first; if you have time, prepare both. Some small merchants prefer one QR code over the other, and having both gives you flexibility. In Shanghai and Beijing, either can work for many payments, but the best visitor setup is redundancy: two apps, one card backup, and a little cash.
- ✓Set up Alipay first if time is limited.
- ✓Add WeChat Pay as a backup and communication tool.
- ✓Keep both apps updated before departure.
- ✓Use the app that the merchant's QR code supports.
How Much Cash Should You Carry?
China is highly digital, but visitors should still carry some RMB cash. For a short Shanghai layover, around ¥200-500, about $28-69, is usually enough as emergency backup. For a longer first trip, ¥500-1,000, about $69-139, can be reasonable if you are not comfortable relying only on apps. Cash helps if your phone battery dies, mobile payment verification fails, or a small vendor cannot process your foreign-linked wallet. That said, do not carry too much cash expecting every place to prefer it. Some businesses may need time to find change, especially for large notes. Use cash as a safety net, not the main plan. ATMs at airports and major banks may work with international cards, but availability and card acceptance can vary.
- ✓Carry ¥200-500 for a layover, about $28-69.
- ✓Carry smaller notes when possible.
- ✓Do not rely on cash alone for a full trip.
- ✓Keep phone battery backup for mobile payment.
What If Your Card Gets Declined?
Card declines happen, even when the card is valid. The reason may be bank fraud detection, app verification, unsupported card type, poor connection, or transaction limits. If Alipay or WeChat Pay fails, first try a smaller transaction amount. Then switch payment app if you have both. If that fails, use cash or ask whether the business accepts an international card directly. For taxis, the safest fallback is cash or ride-hailing through an app that already works. Before your trip, tell your bank you will be in China if your bank still uses travel notices, and make sure you can receive verification codes. If your phone number cannot receive SMS abroad, app-based bank verification becomes more important. The best solution is preparation, not improvising under pressure.
- ✓Try a smaller amount if a payment fails.
- ✓Switch between Alipay and WeChat Pay.
- ✓Keep bank verification access active.
- ✓Carry emergency cash for taxis and meals.
Tipping in China
Tipping is not expected or common in everyday China travel. You do not need to tip taxi drivers, restaurant servers, hotel staff, or casual service workers in the way you might in the United States. In many local situations, tipping can even create confusion because it is not part of the normal transaction. For private tours, guides, drivers, or special services, tipping is appreciated if you feel the service was excellent, but it is not usually treated as mandatory. If you do tip a private guide or driver, do it discreetly and directly. For budgeting, focus more on transport, meals, attraction tickets, and private service fees. Do not worry that you are being rude by not tipping in ordinary restaurants or taxis.
- ✓Do not tip in normal taxis or local restaurants.
- ✓Tip private service only if you genuinely want to.
- ✓Budget for tickets and transport instead of tipping.