Beijing Travel Essentials: Alipay, Cash, Internet, Apps and Plugs

Foreigners can use Alipay in Beijing: install the app, link a Visa, Mastercard or other foreign card, and pay by scanning QR codes the way locals do. Alipay typically charges 3 percent on foreign-card payments over CNY 200 (about US$30) and nothing on smaller ones. WeChat Pay works the same way, and shops must still accept cash.

Alipay for foreigners: how it works

Set Alipay up at home before you fly. Download the app, register with your phone number, and add your Visa, Mastercard or other foreign card. Keep your home number active while you travel, because your bank may send a one-time passcode when you link the card or make a payment. To pay, you either scan the shop’s QR code and type the amount, or show your own payment code for the cashier to scan.

According to Alipay’s current terms, foreign-card payments over CNY 200 typically carry a 3 percent fee, and smaller ones are free. Your card issuer may add its own foreign-transaction fee on top. Regulators raised the limits for foreign users in 2024, but the limit you actually see depends on your account and how far you have verified it, so don’t plan around a fixed figure.

Inside the international version of Alipay you’ll find GO BEIJING, the city’s visitor service in 16 languages, with 39 services including ride-hailing, attraction tickets, hotels and tax-free shopping. Its Travel Wallet is funded by a cross-border remittance instead of a linked card and charges no transaction fee for spending in mainland China. It is open to users from 40 countries and regions, so check in the app whether yours is one of them.

WeChat Pay

WeChat Pay accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Diners, JCB and UnionPay cards. Payments under CNY 200 (about US$30) are fee-free; above that, the fee is 3 percent. Under a 2026 promotion, first-time card linkers also get the fee waived on daily spending under CNY 1,000 (about US$150) for 60 days, with the saving capped at CNY 30 (about US$4) per transaction. Promotions like this may change. Setting up both apps gives you a backup if one card or app declines a payment. A foreign card linked to either app pays shops, restaurants and other businesses; travelers report that sending money to individuals, including red packets, does not work with a foreign card.

Cash, cards and ATMs

Bring some yuan. Since 1 February 2026, a national regulation says businesses may not refuse cash payment, and places that take payment face to face must accept cash and keep reasonable change. In practice, small food stalls and market vendors usually prefer a QR code, so carry small notes and use them where a phone payment isn’t set up. The Beijing government also suggests having some cash for the trip from the airport to your hotel.

• Foreign cards: major hotels, restaurants and attractions accept UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard and other cards. At Mutianyu Great Wall, a “Visa Zone” opened on 1 June 2026 to make card payment easier.
• ATMs: you can withdraw yuan at ATMs showing your card network’s logo, including ATMs along Beijing’s Central Axis that support foreign cards. Ask your bank about its own withdrawal fees before you go.
• Subway: the fare gates take contactless UnionPay, Mastercard, Visa, JCB and American Express cards, so you can tap in with no ticket or app. Our guide to getting around Beijing covers lines and fares.
• Exchange rate: about 6.7 yuan to the US dollar (the official central parity was 6.718 on 4 November 2026). Prices on this site are converted at that rate and rounded.

Internet, roaming and eSIMs

Google services (Search, Gmail, Maps, YouTube), WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and similar apps don’t work on mainland Chinese networks, and that includes a local SIM card and hotel or café Wi-Fi. Pick one of these three set-ups before you fly:

• Roaming on your home plan: data usually routes through your home carrier, so travelers report these apps typically keep working. Daily roaming fees apply.
• A travel eSIM: some travel eSIMs route data through offshore gateways such as Hong Kong or Singapore. Buy and install it before you arrive, while you still have home Wi-Fi.
• A local SIM: the “Beijing Service” counters at the international arrival exits of Capital Airport Terminal 3 and Daxing Airport sell local SIM cards (bring your passport) and help with payment apps. A local SIM or China-specific eSIM follows local network rules.

Before departure, download offline maps, your hotel’s address in Chinese characters and any booking confirmations. The carrier hotlines are 10086 for China Mobile, 10010 for China Unicom and 10000 for China Telecom.

Apps to install before you fly

• Alipay and WeChat: the two payment apps. Set up both and link your card before you leave home.
• Amap (Gaode): the local map app has had an English version since January 2025, with an English ride-hailing screen, and added 14 more languages in July 2025.
• DiDi: the ride-hailing app offers an English interface and accepts foreign phone numbers and international cards. You can also book DiDi rides through Alipay and Amap.
• Jingtong: the Beijing government’s service app switches to English when your phone is set to English, lets you log in with a passport photo, and covers more than 30 services, including hospital appointments, English maps and SIM card reservations.
• NIA 12367: the National Immigration Administration’s app, where you can fill in your arrival card before you travel. Our guide to China visa and visa-free entry explains the entry rules.

Tipping in Beijing

Tipping is not customary in mainland China’s restaurants, taxis or ride-hailing cars. Small tips are becoming more common at high-end hotels and for guides on private tours. There is no set amount.

Plugs and voltage

China runs on 220 volts at 50 Hz. Wall sockets take two flat pins (US-style, Type A), two round pins (European, Type C) and three angled flat pins (Type I), so a US two-flat-pin plug fits the Type A sockets. Most phone and laptop chargers handle 100–240 V and need only the right plug. A device rated only for 110–120 V, such as some hair dryers and curling irons, needs a voltage transformer.

Emergency numbers and help lines

• 110 police, with service in more than 40 languages including English
• 120 ambulance, 119 fire, 122 traffic accidents; all free to call
• 12345 Beijing citizen service hotline, with English, French, Spanish, Russian, German, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. The voice menu starts in Chinese and your call is transferred. From abroad, dial +86 10 12345.
• 12367 National Immigration Administration service line, for visa and entry questions
• Lost passport: report it at the police station where it was lost. The Exit-Entry Administration of the Beijing Public Security Bureau is on (+86 10) 8401 5300.

On our tours, if someone in your group feels unwell, your guide can contact a clinic or hospital for you and translate. Tap water has to be boiled before you drink it, so stick to bottled or purified water. Hotels supply bottled or boiled water, or a kettle.

Tax refund for visitors: getting the VAT back

Visitors from overseas can claim back part of the VAT on goods bought at participating stores. You qualify if you are a foreign visitor staying in mainland China for no more than 183 consecutive days and spend at least CNY 200 (about US$30) on eligible goods at the same store on the same day. That threshold was lowered from CNY 500 in April 2025.

• How much: up to about 11 percent of the invoice for goods at the 13 percent VAT rate, and about 8 percent for goods at the 9 percent rate.
• Conditions: the goods must be unused, and you must take them out of China within 90 days of purchase, leaving through an approved port. Customs inspects them when you leave, so pack them where you can show them.
• Payment: up to CNY 20,000 (about US$3,000) can be paid in cash; larger amounts go to your bank account.
• At the till: at stores offering the instant scheme, you sign an agreement, give a pre-authorization on your card and receive the VAT back in cash on the spot. Customs checks the goods when you leave; if you don’t leave in time or via the agreed port, the money is taken back through your card. In Beijing this is offered at stores such as Beijing Gifts, and GO BEIJING offers one-tap processing at participating stores.

Our private tours have no shopping stops; any store you walk into is one you picked. For the ride in from Capital or Daxing, see Beijing airport to the city. Our private Beijing tours, things to do in Beijing and FAQ cover the rest of the planning. For official visitor information, the Beijing government’s travel essentials are in English.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners use Alipay in China?

Alipay takes foreign Visa, Mastercard and other cards, and once one is linked you pay by QR code like everyone else. According to Alipay's current terms, payments over CNY 200 typically carry a 3 percent fee and smaller ones are free; your card issuer may add its own fee.

Is WeChat Pay or Alipay better for visitors?

Both accept foreign cards, and they are the two QR-code payment apps you'll see at shop counters. WeChat Pay accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Diners, JCB and UnionPay. Setting up both gives you a backup if one app or card declines a payment.

Do I still need cash in Beijing?

Carry some. Since 1 February 2026, businesses taking payment face to face must accept cash and keep reasonable change. Small vendors often prefer QR codes, and the Beijing government suggests having some cash for the trip from the airport to your hotel.

Will Google and WhatsApp work in Beijing?

Not on mainland Chinese networks, which includes local SIM cards and hotel Wi-Fi. Travelers report that roaming on a home plan typically keeps these apps working, with daily fees, and some travel eSIMs route data through offshore gateways. Set your phone up before you fly.

Do I need a plug adapter or converter in China?

China uses 220 volts. Sockets take Type A, C and I plugs, so a US two-flat-pin plug fits Type A sockets. Most phone and laptop chargers handle 100–240 V; a device rated only for 110–120 V needs a voltage transformer.

Should I tip in Beijing?

Tipping is not customary in restaurants, taxis or ride-hailing cars in mainland China. Small tips are becoming more common at high-end hotels and for guides on private tours, but there is no fixed rule or amount.

What are the emergency numbers in Beijing?

Dial 110 for police, 120 for an ambulance, 119 for fire and 122 for traffic accidents; all are free. The 110 line offers more than 40 languages including English, and the 12345 city hotline has English and seven other languages.

Can visitors get VAT back on shopping in China?

You can if you stay no more than 183 consecutive days and spend at least CNY 200 at one participating store on one day. The goods must be unused and leave China within 90 days through an approved port. Some Beijing stores pay the VAT back in cash at the till.

Facts checked: 5 November 2026. Ticket prices, opening hours and entry rules can change; we re-check before every booking.