Foreign tourists traveling in cashless China

2025-06-17
For mobile payments in China, the complex matrix rules of who can pay from what, where, to whom and for how much, keep changing, use this as a guide.

Equipment needed

In China, you need mobile/cellular data constantly for shopping, ride hailing, flagging a taxi, take subway/metro, paying for food and gifts, using voice/camera for translation, using maps, doing real time fact check on what your tour guide is telling you, etc.

(1) A cell phone with eSIM capability. Dial *#06# to check: eSIM capable phone will show a 32-digit long EID number.
iPhones sold in China, Hong Kong and Macau do not have eSIM functionality.
If your phone is eSIM capable, install Saily app and purchase a data-only eSIM before travel. See this link.
With data only eSIM, apps like WhatsApp, Rakuten Viber, fongo, Facebook Messenger, YouTube, iMessage, Facetime, Google email, Google Chat, Google Maps, etc. work in China. You can hotspot/tether to laptops and tablets in your travel group. Avoid setting up additional VPN as it could, in some situations, prevent Wechat/Alipay payments system from working. To make calls to landlines, use "Rakuten Viber" app for a few cents per minute. Canadians can use "fongo" app to call Canadian landlines/mobiles free of charge.

For short duration visits, you can simply opt to turn on daily roaming with your home carrier (costs more, no need for eSIM).

(2) An auxiliary phone that has 4G LTE Band3 1800 MHz (or 5G Band 78 for newer phones, e.g. Pixel 5a). An old phone (with Band3 4G LTE) will generally suffice.
An auxiliary phone is absolutely necessary to receive SMS/texts sent to a Chinese phone number for identify validation. Identity validation using SMS is obsessively overly used, often becoming a major hurdle for tourists in ordering food, using free WiFi on high speed trains, using maps, using free public WiFi in tier-2 airports, etc.

For the auxiliary phone, buy a tourist SIM card at "mobile service counter" at major airports (PEK, PKX, PVG, SHA, SZX, CAN) if you have sufficient time between connection.

Mobile stores outside airport only sell monthly postpaid SIM cards and you need to cancel the subscription in person (something you may not have time to do or forget to do before you leave China). A safer approach is to order ahead of travel from "3G Solutions" https://www.3gsolutions.com.cn/ and have it snail mailed to your home, or delivered to a hotel in major cities in China.

Download and install essential apps on your primary phone

At home, using a browser, go to https://www.12306.cn/en to create an account using your email and passport information.

WeChat - register using passport and link a Credit Card.  WeChat is an absolute must to communicate with vast majority of people in China.  It is equivalent to western SMS texts and it has a built-in bidirectional translation capability.
Alipay - Alipay is not as prolific as WeChat but is friendly to foreigners. Alipay spent extra efforts in designing their app to be English-speaker friendly. Alipay has a floating translate button on every screen to help foreigners. In addition, you can use the new Alipay iTap payment systems in some cities. iTap offers a familiar experience as a credit cards tap. Register for an Alipay account using passport and link a Credit Card.
Trip.com: The Swiss army knife for travel bookings in China, including improved mobile maps. Ctrip.com is the equivalent of trip.com but only in Chinese.
12306 China Rail app for booking intercity travels. You can use trip.com to book railways but 12306 is the official China Rail app.
DiDi: Optional. DiDi comes as a stand alone app or as a mini-app inside WeChat/Alipay. The stand alone app is familiar to foreigners as it resembles Uber.

Translation app:
(iPhone) Apple Translate.
(Android) Google Translate or Microsoft Translator.
Note: Baidu Translate is widely used in China (Hotel employees who assist international guests often use translation app for communication.).

Mobile maps:
(iPhone) Apple Maps can be used in China, especially in major cities.
(Android) trip.com's map (in Chinese only).
(Android) Baidu Maps 百度地图 (in Chinese, does not require Chinese phone number to register, can take Pinyin input)
Gaode Maps (aka Amap) 高德地图 (in Chinese only and requires a Chinese phone number to register).
Tencent Maps 腾讯地图. WeChat...Discover...Search..."Tencent maps"...click on the Compass icon (in Chinese only).

What are these apps used for

WeChat - communications (like WhatsApp) and mobile payments in China. An optional "real name registration" using passport and selfies will increase spending ceiling to 60,000 ¥ annually.
Alipay - mobile payments in China. An optional "real name registration" using passport and selfies will increase the spending ceiling from 200 ¥ to 50,000 ¥ annually.
12306 - book China Railway's high speed train tickets for inter-city travels.
Trip.com - An English-proficient app that can book hotels, flights, trains, attractions in China. Some prefer to book hotels using western chain apps such as Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Hyatt, Booking.com and IHG.
Translation app - its use is obvious: you can text, speak, or scan for bidirectional translations. Mobile data is needed, except for text translation (if you download the offline language packs ahead of travel). Watch this short video.
Mobile maps - In today's digital world, choosing whether to use mobile maps or paper maps is a personal decision.

A crash course on launching and closing WeChat mini-app

On the WeChat Discover ... Mini Programs page, there is a "Search Mini Programs" bar, type the name or partial name of a mini-app (there were 4.3 million mini apps in 2023). Type didi in the "Search Mini Program" bar. Look for DiDi's icon:    Unfortunately DiDi mini-app is mostly in Chinese (with partial English support), however it is essential to getting around in China.
To exit the mini-app, tap the "exit button" which is a circle with a dot like an eyeball. See the graphics below.

A crash course on launching and closing Alipay mini-app

In the Alipay main screen search bar, type "metro", on the result screen, select "mini-programs".
For example, is an important mini-program that include Bus, Metro and Taxi. is also found on the main screen.
To exit the mini-program, tap the exit button, which you'll find near the top right corner. It appears as a circle with an "X" inside.

Add cash/money to "WeChat Wallet" or "Alipay Balance"

WeChat's wallet and Alipay's Balance is equivalent of "loose change" in your pocket. You need a friend or relative to transfer money into your cash wallet.

If you have rich relatives or trusted friends from China, they can transfer money to your AliPay/WeChat Wallet (cash balance) in person using QR Code.
WeChat can transfer money between "WeChat friends": Using Chats, "+" button, "Transfer". The personal-cash-wallet to personal-cash-wallet transfer is allowed between friends, up to some limits. Mobile payments using balance from personal-cash-wallet can avoid credit card's fee and unfavorable bank exchange rate. It also waives the 3% service fee charged by WeChat/Alipay using credit card over 300 ¥. Total savings could be about 8% if you are a big spender.

Not everyone has wealthy relatives, so your digital cash wallet is likely empty. In that case, simply use WeChat or Alipay and charge all your purchases to your linked credit card. There is a spending ceiling of 50,000 ¥ annually.
To avoid hitting the spending ceiling too soon, use foreign credit card for big ticket items such as flights, hotels, high-speed rail ticket machines, fancy restaurants/shopping malls that can accept foreign credit cards.

There are two modes of QR Code mobile payment

A crash course on using QR code payment (do not skip this exercise)

Remember you need mobile data to do QR code payment.
As a practice of 我扫你 I scan you, here is a QR code (the QR code is a URL link to ctrip.com, a Chinese version of trip.com).
Alipay, tap "Scan", aim your phone's camera to the QR code, if you hear two beeps and the Chinese ctrip page opens, you pass the first test.
WeChat "Discover", tap "Scan", aim at the QR Code, if you hear a single beep and the Chinese ctrip page opens, you pass the second test.

Alipay iTap mobile payment (launched in 2024)

(1) Unlock your phone   (2) Tap   (3) Confirm.
Alipay iTap is similar but not identical to EMV credit card taps (both use NFC technology but employ different protocol standards).
iTap is rolled out in many Chinese cities including public transport systems (metro, subway).

iTap, backed by Alipay, Huawei and NXP Semiconductors, offers a faster transaction than QR Code payment system. It could complement the QR code payment system, particularly in bustling cities where every millisecond counts.

Carry adequate cash in case the Alipay or WeChat pay mobile payment scheme fails.

How to

Book domestic flights 
use trip.com

Book high speed train tickets 
use 12306, booking opens 14 days in advance of travel. Popular routes sold out instantly like Taylor Swift tickets, so plan ahead to avoid disappointment. After the ticket is booked, you receive a QR Code. On the day of your travel, arrive at the correct station very early. For example, Shenzhen has 5 stations, Shanghai has 4 stations, Beijing has 5 stations, etc.  Find the "passport holders" line and have your passport verified by a staff. Your train ticket is linked to your passport, you don't even need the QR Code at the station. You can also interact with a human staff at a ticket booth to purchase high speed train tickets.

Metro/subway rides
At the ticketing machines, select the route you want to travel. You can pay by QR code, cash, or credit card if the machine displays the logo.
-Pay using the QR code that appears on the screen, using Alipay or WeChat.
-Pay using cash. Use small denominations bills such as 10 ¥ or 20 ¥ . Some machines reject 100 ¥ bills.
-Pay using Visa or MasterCard by the "insert" method. The tap logo you are familiar with can confuse you, it is for China issued credit cards only.

Below methods are for more advanced travelers who need to take metro rides frequently.
WeChat - "Me", "Pay and Services', "Travel Service", select city from drop down (use Pinyin, e.g. Beijing), tap green icon that looks like "G", next you are in "Service Provider" page, select city from drop down (again), a QR code appears (if this is the first time you are in that city, "Go to activate", select payment method). Present the QR code to the metro turnstile scanner to enter and to exit.
Alipay - At the top left corner of main screen, select city you are in. Type "metro" in the search box. Tap the subway icon (if this is the first time you are in that city, tap the Get Now icon), a QR code appears. Present the QR code to the metro turnstile scanner to enter and to exit.

Taxi
Taxi are found at airports and train stations. They accept cash but generally do not have cash for any change. Use your Alipay or WeChat to scan the taxi's payment QR Code. You cannot flag a taxi in busy cities, as many that appear vacant are actually pre-booked via DiDi.

Ride hailing (using DiDi app)   (or use Mini app inside WeChat/Alipay)

Outside of airports and train stations, if you flag a taxi and it doesn't stop DiDi, is probably the way to hail a ride. When the DiDi ride shows up, you confirm it is the ride by its license plate number (just like Uber), the driver technically needs the last 4 digits of your phone number to confirm it is you who booked the ride (the phone number you used when registering WeChat/Alipay/DiDi). For example, if the last 4 digits of your phone number is 2347, type "two three four seven" in a translator app to talk to the DiDi driver. Sometimes the driver will say the last 4 digits of your phone number to you and if that is your number, you respond by saying "yes".


Hotels
If you book a hotel using trip.com, or your western hotel chain app, you can elude Alipay and WeChat mobile payment spending ceiling of 50,000 ¥ annually. Hotels (especially western chains) generally accept foreigners and accept Visa or MasterCard. Most hotels in trip.com should accept foreigners, to be sure, check the  policies section in the "Guests Accepted" heading. BTW, If you see a robot inside hotel hallways or elevators and wonder why, the robot is simply delivering food to another guest in the hotel.

Restaurants
On many restaurant tables, there is a QR code, open WeChat and then scan the QR code to launch the menu. Select dishes and pay using WeChat, the food will be delivered to you by a staff or a robot.

Food Delivery
You can order food delivered to your hotel room. Launch Alipay or WeChat and invoke "Meituan" mini-app. Food will be delivered to your hotel lobby and then transferred to a robot to deliver to your hotel room. There is no need to tip the robot.

Gift shops and Street Food stands
Typically there is a QR code posted on the stand. Open WeChat Pay or Alipay and scan the merchant's QR code, type in the amount, the merchant will receive a confirmation on their mobile phone and give you the items or food.

Tourist attractions, theme parks, entertainment
You can use trip.com or mini-app inside WeChat/Alipay to pre-book attractions. Major attractions (e.g. Forbidden City) during peak seasons may require 1 to 7 days in advance to book. Some attractions do not sell tickets at the entrance. The entrance is used to check passport and scan the QR code of pre-booked tickets. Ask hotel staff for help if needed.

Carry adequate cash in case the mobile payment scheme fails.
Not every merchant or subway machine can accept digital payment linked to a foreign credit card.

Merchants are required by law to accept RMB cash, but many don't carry cash to give change. Some merchants even refuse to sell you goods and services if you are not equipped with mobile payment.

Many of the above payment method cannot be used in Hong Kong because HK has a different financial system. Hong Kong residents use "Alipay HK" and "WeChat HK" which is different than "Alipay" and "WeChat" for foreigners. The best approach for Hong Kong is to install the "Octopus for Tourists" app on your phone. Unused balance on your Octopus app can be refunded.