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The full payment route

From suitcase to first QR code.

Set up the wallets, rehearse one small payment, then know which method to reach for at the taxi rank, the hotel desk, the restaurant, the mall and the ticket gate.

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TMP / Route 003Field guide

Travel payment map

Set up · Rehearse · Go

  1. 01

    Prepare the cards

    Enable overseas and online use, add a travel notice, and confirm you can receive SMS codes abroad. Pack a second card from a different issuer.

  2. 03

    Rehearse with ¥1

    Run one small live payment through a China-facing checkout before you fly. A pass is a signal; a failure is still useful information.

  3. 05

    Match the method to the place

    Use wallet QR for small vendors, a physical card for hotels and malls, and cash as the offline backstop. Larger is not always safer for a foreign card.

  • Six-stop journey
  • Nine on-the-ground scenarios
  • Free to read
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The whole route

One payment chain, from home to the gate.

Most payment failures are not mysteries. They are steps that were skipped. Follow the chain in order, and keep a backup at every stage.

  1. 01

    Prepare the cards

    Enable overseas and online use, add a travel notice, and confirm you can receive SMS codes abroad. Pack a second card from a different issuer.

  2. 02

    Configure both wallets

    Install Alipay and WeChat Pay, verify your passport and link a card in your own name. Do this at home on reliable Wi-Fi.

  3. 03

    Rehearse with ¥1

    Run one small live payment through a China-facing checkout before you fly. A pass is a signal; a failure is still useful information.

  4. 04

    Make the first payment

    At the airport, buy water, coffee or a ticket with the method you intend to use. Confirm it works before a large hotel or transport charge.

  5. 05

    Match the method to the place

    Use wallet QR for small vendors, a physical card for hotels and malls, and cash as the offline backstop. Larger is not always safer for a foreign card.

  6. 06

    Switch, don't stall

    If a payment fails, change method once, keep the receipt and fix the failed path later. The report turns that evidence into a personal plan.

Set up before you fly

Two wallets, ready before you land.

The two apps look similar, but the checks are not identical. Do both at home, with your passport and a card enabled for overseas and online payments. Ten minutes here saves the queue at arrivals.

Menu labels vary slightly by app version and phone language. Follow the matching option in your app.

AlipayWALLET / 01

The quicker setup of the two.

  1. 01

    Install the official app

    Download Alipay from the App Store or Google Play, then register with your home mobile number. It only needs to receive SMS; no Chinese number is required.

  2. 02

    Set a payment PIN

    Create a login password, then a separate six-digit payment PIN. Turn on Face ID or fingerprint unlock if the app offers it.

  3. 03

    Verify your identity

    Me → Settings → Account & Security → Identity Verification

    Choose passport, scan the photo page and complete the selfie check. Enter your name exactly as printed. Approval is often quick, but can take longer — start before you fly.

  4. 04

    Link your card

    Me → Bank Cards → Add Card

    Add a supported Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, Discover or UnionPay card in your own name, then approve your bank's 3-D Secure or OTP prompt.

  5. 05

    Pay in the shop

    Scan / Pay

    Tap Scan for the merchant's QR code, or show your payment code for the cashier to scan. Confirm with the six-digit PIN. The phone needs mobile data.

  6. 06

    Try a small purchase

    After landing, buy water, coffee or a metro ticket. A successful small payment is your real-world confirmation — not just a green check in the app.

Your Alipay name, passport name and cardholder name should match. Use your own card; a family member's card can fail verification.

WeChat PayWALLET / 02

More steps. Worth having as the second.

  1. 01

    Install and register

    Update to the latest WeChat and sign up with a home-country number that can receive SMS. Avoid virtual numbers. Some new accounts are asked for an existing user to scan a code and vouch for them.

  2. 02

    Open your wallet

    Me → Services → Wallet → Bank Cards → Add a Bank Card

    Find Weixin Pay inside WeChat. If you cannot see it, update the app first; then look under Services or Pay and Services.

  3. 03

    Verify with your passport

    Add a Bank Card → Passport

    Accept the Weixin Pay agreement, choose Passport, and enter your name exactly as printed. Add the passport number and upload a photo of the photo page. A face check may follow.

  4. 04

    Link the card

    Enter the card number, expiry, CVV and billing details, then approve your bank's 3-D Secure or OTP prompt. Set a six-digit payment PIN if asked.

  5. 05

    Pay the WeChat way

    + → Scan / Money → Payment Code

    Use Scan for a merchant's QR code, or open Payment Code for the cashier to scan. International cards can pay for goods and services, but cannot send red packets or transfers.

  6. 06

    Finish before departure

    Verification may take minutes or go to manual review. Complete it at least 72 hours before flying, and keep Alipay as the other working leg.

Some cards are rejected more often than others. If linking fails, try a major-bank Visa or Mastercard in your own name before assuming the wallet is broken.

Pre-flight checklist

What to have in hand while you set up.

  • Your passport — the app will ask for the photo page and possibly a selfie.
  • A card in your own name, enabled for overseas and online payments.
  • Your bank notified of the trip, so a China charge is not flagged as fraud.
  • Reliable Wi-Fi and SMS reception — do this at home, not at arrivals.
  • A second card from another bank, plus ¥100–300 in small notes.
  • A data plan or eSIM and a power bank — the phone is now your wallet.
Checked againstWeChat Pay helpShanghai Government guide

Reviewed November 2026. App flows, card support, fees and limits change — the screen in your app is the final word.

Read next

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Guides
01 / Cards & cash

Can you use a foreign card in China?

A physical card is useful in China. It is not a plan on its own. The practical answer is to carry one, link one to a wallet, and keep a little cash for the tills that still say no.

7 min read
04 / Compare

Alipay vs WeChat Pay: which should you set up first?

The question is reasonable, but the premise is slightly wrong. For most visitors the goal is not to pick a winner. It is to have two independent payment routes and know which one to open first.

6 min read
06 / Troubleshooting

When a payment fails in China: a calm recovery path

The worst response to a failed payment is a queue-side experiment. The better response is a short, repeatable sequence: identify the layer, protect against a double charge, and switch to a route that works.

8 min read

The ¥1 rehearsal

Test the path before the trip tests you.

Once the wallets are configured, run one small live payment. It is the cheapest way to find an issuer block, a card limitation or a setup gap before the first taxi.

Test my card — ¥1Get the ¥36.6 report

The test checks one online CNY path. The report maps the rest to your card, wallet and destination.

At the destination

Which payment, where.

Acceptance changes by city, merchant and day. Use this as a starting order, not a guarantee, and confirm before committing to a large charge.

01

Airport and arrival

Airport counters, rail desks and international hotels are usually the most card-friendly first stop. Confirm the transfer method before leaving the terminal; a wallet without data is not a payment method.

First choice
Physical card · Wallet QR
Backup
Cash for the taxi queue
02

Taxis and ride-hailing

Ride-hailing apps often accept an international card, but not every account or city does. Traditional taxis may show a personal QR or prefer cash. Confirm before the ride.

First choice
Ride-hailing app · Wallet QR
Backup
Small cash notes
03

Metro and trains

Metro gates increasingly accept a wallet QR. Ticket machines and staffed counters vary. For intercity rail, book with your passport and keep the physical document for collection.

First choice
Wallet QR · Ticket counter
Backup
Cash · Staffed counter
04

Hotels

Front desks are the most reliable place for a foreign physical card, but ask about pre-authorisation and deposit amounts. Keep the final invoice for your records.

First choice
Physical card at the desk
Backup
Wallet QR · Cash
05

Restaurants and cafés

Small restaurants often expect a QR payment at the table. Ask before ordering if paying by card is essential. Larger chains and hotel restaurants more often have a terminal.

First choice
Wallet QR
Backup
Physical card · Cash
06

Shopping and malls

Malls, duty-free shops and international brands usually take a physical card. Market stalls and small boutiques may be QR-only. Ask for a receipt on anything you might refund.

First choice
Physical card · Wallet QR
Backup
Cash
07

Attractions and tickets

Online booking may accept an international card while the on-site till does not. Some attractions require real-name or passport booking, so carry your passport.

First choice
Online card booking
Backup
Wallet QR · Cash
08

Convenience and street vendors

This is where wallets earn their keep. Make a small purchase early to confirm the flow, and keep ¥10–¥50 notes for a vendor whose QR code is personal or broken.

First choice
Wallet QR
Backup
Small cash notes
09

Cash and ATMs

Cash remains a legal backstop. Use major-bank ATMs, decline currency conversion at the machine, and test one withdrawal early so you are not learning under pressure.

First choice
Cash · Major-bank ATM
Backup
Hotel desk · Bank branch

A cleared ¥1 online test does not prove that every merchant or QR code will accept the same card. Treat it as a baseline, and keep a backup method for every day of the trip.

07 · Fallbacks

When the first method doesn't work.

A fallback is not a failure. It is a plan that keeps the day moving.

  1. 01

    Carry a cash buffer

    Keep a modest amount of CNY for the first day, small purchases and places that only take QR. ATMs may not accept every foreign card; test one early.

  2. 02

    Use a card from another issuer

    A second Visa from the same bank is less diversifying than a Mastercard or UnionPay card from another institution. Bring a different network if you can.

  3. 03

    Ask for another method, politely

    “Can I pay another way?” is easier than a debate. Larger merchants and hotels may have a card terminal; small shops may not.

  4. 04

    Use the hotel or a major branch

    Hotel desks and larger chains can often help with bookings, deposits or a card terminal. Keep the receipt and avoid paying strangers through personal transfer.

  5. 05

    Know the exit

    If a payment is stuck and a queue is forming, step aside, switch method, and resolve the failed charge later with the receipt. Do not leave without confirming whether you were charged.