Daily life in China runs on mobile payments, and for overseas visitors the barriers have come down a lot in the past few years. This page covers four things: how to set up mobile payment, whether you still need cash, where cards work, and tipping. The most important point first: on a private trip with us, every ticket, cableway, vehicle, hotel and guide in your itinerary is paid in advance by us. On the road you only need money for your own meals and shopping.
The one-minute version
- Install Alipay or WeChat Pay before you leave and link your international bank card.
- Bring a small amount of Chinese cash as a backup; it is useful in small towns and villages.
- International credit cards work at international hotel chains and large malls, and mostly not at street shops, restaurants or taxis.
- Tipping is not customary in China; you do not tip in restaurants or taxis.
- Everything in your itinerary is prepaid; you only cover food, drinks and souvenirs.
Travelling with us, this is all you pay on the spot
Everything listed on your itinerary (park tickets, cableways, lifts, private vehicle, transfers, hotels and guide) is arranged and paid by us in advance. After you arrive in China you settle the balance of your trip as set out in your booking confirmation: paid after the contract is signed, with a written receipt for every payment (details on our payment and cancellation policy page). Beyond that, daily spending is only the meals that are not included, plus drinks, snacks, souvenirs and personal expenses. We suggest carrying a little cash as a backup.
Alipay and WeChat Pay: how overseas visitors set them up
Both apps let visitors without a Chinese bank account link an overseas bank card and pay by scanning QR codes. To set up:
- Download the app at home before you travel and register with your own mobile number.
- Complete identity verification when prompted; this usually means photographing your passport.
- Add your international card under Bank Cards and complete the verification the app asks for.
- In China, you pay in one of two ways: scan the shop’s QR code and enter the amount, or show your own payment code for the shop to scan.
Small purchases carry no fee; larger ones carry a small percentage fee, shown in the app. Set up and link your card before departure. Apple Pay and Google Pay are not accepted at most Chinese merchants, so do not rely on them.
Cash: still accepted, and worth carrying a little
Chinese yuan in cash is still legal tender and merchants may not refuse it, though it is used less in cities. Cash is the safe option at village shops, old markets and street stalls, when a taxi driver needs to give you change, or when your phone is dead or offline.
Getting cash: ATMs at the major banks mostly accept overseas cards carrying the Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay logo, with a per-withdrawal limit; your own bank may charge a foreign withdrawal fee. Airport bank counters also exchange money, usually at a worse rate than city banks. Carry small notes; a 100 yuan note is often hard to break at a stall.
Cards: where they work and where they do not
Cards work at international hotel brands, department stores and large malls, and some airport shops. They mostly do not work at restaurants, taxis, street shops, small supermarkets or park ticket windows, because the domestic card network is built around UnionPay. If your card is UnionPay co-branded, it will work in many more places. In short: treat your card as a backup, not your main wallet.
Tipping
China has no tipping culture. You do not tip in restaurants or taxis, and usually not in hotels. On a private trip, if you want to thank your guide and driver, whether and how much is entirely up to you, and not tipping is completely normal.
Before you leave: a checklist
- Install Alipay or WeChat Pay and link your card
- Tell your card issuer your travel dates so payments are not blocked
- Bring a small amount of Chinese cash in small notes
- Save our WhatsApp +86 189 7441 2915
- Read the balance payment arrangement in your booking confirmation
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Chinese bank account?
No. Alipay and WeChat Pay both work with an overseas card linked directly.
Can I pay by phone inside the Zhangjiajie parks and in the small towns?
In most places, yes. A few stalls in villages and old streets still take cash only, which is why we suggest carrying a little.
How much cash should I bring?
Your itinerary is prepaid, so daily spending is only meals and shopping. Bring a small amount in small notes as a backup; you can withdraw more at an ATM if needed.
In which currency am I charged when I pay with an overseas card?
You are charged in Chinese yuan and your card issuer converts it to your home currency. Ask your bank before you travel about foreign transaction fees and the exchange rate it uses.
How do I pay the balance of my trip?
After the contract is signed in China, you pay as set out in your booking confirmation, with a written receipt for every payment. We do not publish bank account details on the website.
Have a question about your trip budget? Message us on WhatsApp at +86 189 7441 2915.