What is the currency of China?

The currency is the Renminbi (RMB, meaning "the people's currency"), with the basic unit being the yuan (CNY). One yuan divides into 10 jiao. The fen (1/100 yuan) exists in theory but is no longer in circulation. Banknotes come in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 yuan; coins in 1 yuan, 5 jiao and 1 jiao. The 100 yuan note is the largest denomination and worth roughly the equivalent of a mid-range lunch for two.

How do I set up Alipay and WeChat Pay as a foreigner?

Download the Alipay app, go to "Me" then "Bank Cards", add your Visa or Mastercard, and complete passport verification. You will need to set a six-digit payment PIN. The process takes a few minutes. For WeChat Pay, open WeChat, go to "Me" then "Services" then "Wallet" and add your card. Both apps require your card name to match your passport exactly. Set both up before arriving in China — mobile internet restrictions can complicate in-country downloads.

Do ATMs in China accept foreign cards?

Yes, ATMs at major Chinese banks (Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank) accept foreign Visa, Mastercard and in many cases UnionPay-affiliated cards. Look for the Visa/Mastercard logos on the ATM. They are widely available in cities — railway stations, airports, shopping areas — but scarce in smaller towns and rural regions. Expect withdrawal fees from both the Chinese bank and your home bank.

Can I use my credit card directly at shops and restaurants?

Rarely. International credit cards work at upscale hotels, some department stores and airport outlets in major cities, but the vast majority of everyday commerce — from restaurants to convenience stores to taxis — runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay QR codes. If you haven't linked your card to one of these apps, you will struggle with daily payments.

Do Apple Pay and Google Pay work in China?

Google Pay is not available in mainland China — Google services are blocked and the Play Store does not operate. Apple Pay is technically supported, but with a foreign-issued card it only works at terminals that accept your card's network (Visa or Mastercard), which is uncommon outside upscale hotels and chain stores. The practical mobile-tap equivalent is Alipay's in-app NFC tap-to-pay, which becomes available once you have linked your foreign card. For everyday spending, the QR-code scan via Alipay or WeChat Pay remains the dominant flow.

Is tipping expected in China?

Tipping is not customary in mainland China and is not expected at restaurants, taxis or hotels. In fact, offering a tip can sometimes cause confusion. High-end international hotels and restaurants that cater to foreign guests may add a service charge. Tour guides and drivers on organised tours may appreciate a small gratuity, but it is never obligatory. Hong Kong follows different conventions — tipping is more common there.

Should I exchange money before I travel?

Exchanging a small amount of yuan before departure can be useful for immediate expenses on arrival (taxi, SIM card, first meal), but exchange rates at home-country banks tend to be poor for CNY. The best approach is to arrive with your Alipay/WeChat Pay linked, withdraw yuan from a Chinese bank ATM at the airport for immediate cash needs, and rely primarily on mobile payments for everything else.

How expensive is China for travellers?

China offers strong value for money. Street food costs the equivalent of one to three euros per dish, a sit-down restaurant meal runs five to fifteen euros per person, mid-range hotels cost roughly forty to eighty euros per night, and admission to major attractions ranges from five to twenty-five euros. High-speed rail tickets for medium distances cost thirty to eighty euros; domestic flights fifty to one hundred and fifty euros. Beijing and Shanghai are noticeably more expensive than second-tier cities and rural areas.

China

🇨🇳

Phone Code

+86

Capital

Beijing

Population

1.4 Billion

Native Name

中国

Region

Asia

Eastern Asia

Timezones

China Standard Time

UTC+08:00

+1 more

China spans 9.6 million square kilometres from the Gobi Desert to subtropical rainforest, from Himalayan plateaux to neon-lit megacities of thirty million people — a country so vast and varied that every province feels like a separate nation. Five thousand years of continuous civilisation have left a density of cultural heritage that few places on earth can match: the Great Wall threading across mountain ridges, the Forbidden City at the heart of Beijing, the Terracotta Army standing guard outside Xi'an, the karst peaks of Guilin reflected in the Li River, the sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie that inspired the landscapes of Avatar. Modern China adds a layer of hyperspeed urbanism — Shanghai's Pudong skyline, Shenzhen's tech campuses, Chengdu's panda sanctuaries and fiery Sichuan hotpot — while the Silk Road corridor through Gansu and Xinjiang, the rice terraces of Yunnan and the monasteries of Tibet offer some of the most rewarding overland travel on the continent.

Visa Requirements for China

China has significantly relaxed its visa regime in recent years. Citizens of many countries — including those of the UK, EU member states, Australia, Canada and the United States — can now enter mainland China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits and transit (policy subject to periodic renewal; verify current status before travel). For longer stays or purposes such as work, study or journalism, a visa must be obtained in advance through a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) or embassy. Transit passengers can use 24-hour, 72-hour or 144-hour transit visa exemptions in designated cities without a separate visa. Hong Kong and Macau SARs operate entirely separate immigration systems from the mainland — different entry rules apply.

Common Visa Types

Visa-Free Entry (Select Nationalities)

Up to 30 days; policy subject to periodic renewal

Citizens of eligible countries may enter mainland China without a visa for tourism, business, family visits or transit. The list of eligible nationalities and conditions is updated periodically — always confirm current eligibility with a Chinese embassy or CVASC before travel.

Tourist Visa (L Visa)

30 days single/double entry or 90 days multiple entry

For tourism, sightseeing or visiting friends and family in mainland China. Required when the visa-free exemption does not apply or when a stay longer than 30 days is planned. Apply through a CVASC with passport, application form, photograph, detailed itinerary and hotel bookings.

144-Hour Transit Visa Exemption

Up to 6 days (144 hours); stay restricted to designated area

For transit passengers of eligible nationalities passing through designated cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming, Xiamen and others. Requires confirmed onward ticket to a third country. Stay is limited to the city or province of entry.

72-Hour Transit Visa Exemption

Up to 3 days (72 hours)

For shorter transit stays at specific ports of entry with confirmed onward travel to a third country. Stay is limited to the administrative region of the port of entry.

Business Visa (M Visa)

30-90 days; single or multiple entry

For commercial activities in China: trade negotiations, business meetings, attending fairs (including the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, the world's largest trade fair), site inspections and contract signings. An invitation letter from a Chinese business entity is required.

Student Visa (X1/X2)

X1: duration of study programme; X2: up to 180 days

X1 for long-term study (over 180 days) at Chinese universities — Peking University, Tsinghua, Fudan and Zhejiang among the most sought-after. X2 for short-term courses, language study and summer programmes under 180 days. Admission letter and JW201/JW202 form required.

Work Visa (Z Visa)

Entry + 30 days to obtain residence permit; typically renewed annually

For employment in China with a valid work permit arranged by the employer. After entry, a residence permit must be obtained from the local Public Security Bureau within 30 days.

Family Visit Visa (S/Q)

Q2/S2: up to 180 days; Q1/S1: long-term with residence permit

Q1/Q2 for visiting Chinese relatives or long-term family reunion. S1/S2 for visiting foreigners who work or study in China. Invitation letter and proof of relationship required.

Important Travel Information

Visa-free entry has expanded significantly but policies change frequently. Always verify the current visa-free eligibility, permitted duration and conditions with the nearest Chinese embassy or CVASC before booking travel. The current 30-day visa-free regime covers tourism, business and family visits but excludes work, journalism and long-term study.

Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions with entirely separate immigration systems. Entry to Hong Kong or Macau does not count as entry to mainland China. If continuing to the mainland, a separate Chinese visa or visa-free eligibility is required.

Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond arrival date with at least 2 blank pages. Chinese visas occupy a full passport page. If staying outside a hotel, you must register with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours of arrival.

Travel Overview

The Great Wall is not one wall but a network of fortifications stretching over 21,000 kilometres — the restored sections near Beijing alone offer a range of experiences, from the cable-car-accessible Badaling to the uncrowded ridgeline hike at Jinshanling at sunrise. The Forbidden City reveals five centuries of imperial splendour across 980 buildings on 72 hectares. Outside Xi'an, the Terracotta Army — over 8,000 life-sized warriors unearthed in 1974 — remains one of the defining archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century. Guilin's karst peaks and the Li River cruise are the landscapes of classical Chinese ink painting brought to life. Chengdu combines giant panda research bases with one of the world's great street-food cultures (Sichuan hotpot, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles). Zhangjiajie's sandstone pillars rise through mist in formations that make Jurassic geology feel alien. Shanghai packs the colonial-era Bund, the futuristic Pudong skyline and a gallery scene rivalling any in Asia into a single river bend. The Silk Road through Gansu and Xinjiang — the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, the Flaming Mountains near Turpan, the Sunday market at Kashgar — is an overland journey through deserts, oases and Central Asian culture. Yunnan's rice terraces, Tibet's Potala Palace, Hangzhou's West Lake — China rewards not just one trip but a lifetime of returns.

Discover China

The Forbidden City sits at the heart of Beijing's central north–south axis — 980 buildings on 72 hectares, residence of the Ming and Qing emperors for nearly five centuries and the largest preserved palace complex on earth. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Inner Court, the Imperial Garden, the Treasure Gallery and the rotating ceramics exhibitions in the Wenhua Hall reward repeat visits. Online booking is mandatory; daily numbers are capped. Combine with Tiananmen Square (the south gate of the Imperial City), Jingshan Park (the artificial hill behind the palace, built from the spoil of the Forbidden City moat — best free panorama in Beijing), the Temple of Heaven (where emperors performed the winter sacrifice), and the Summer Palace (Cixi's lakeside retreat with Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor and Suzhou Street). The same imperial layer continues in Xi'an's Ming-era city walls and Bell Tower, the Ming Tombs north of Beijing and the imperial mountain resort at Chengde — half a day by high-speed rail from the capital.

Ways to Experience This Destination

Ancient Wonders and World Heritage

The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army, the Mogao Caves on the Silk Road, the Potala Palace in Lhasa — China holds 57 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than almost any country on earth. Every province harbours millennia of history waiting to be explored on foot, by bicycle or by high-speed rail.

Culinary Diversity

Eight great culinary traditions from fiery Sichuan hotpot through Cantonese dim sum and Peking duck to hand-pulled Lanzhou noodles. Street-food markets in every city, the Hui Muslim cuisine of Xi'an and the subtropical flavours of Yunnan make China a culinary universe that could occupy a lifetime of eating.

Nature and Landscapes

The karst mountains of Guilin, the floating pillars of Zhangjiajie, the rice terraces of Longji, the turquoise travertine pools of Huanglong, the sacred peaks of Huangshan — China's natural wonders are as varied as the country itself, from tropical Hainan to the glaciated peaks of Sichuan and the Gobi Desert of Inner Mongolia.

Megacities and Modern China

Shanghai with the Bund and Pudong skyline, Beijing between hutong alleyways and Olympic architecture, Shenzhen as a technology hub that barely existed forty years ago, Chengdu as a tea-house city with one of the world's most liveable urban cultures — China's great cities offer contrasts between tradition and the future that exist nowhere else at this scale.

Silk Road and Overland Adventure

The ancient Silk Road through Gansu and Xinjiang passes the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, the singing sand dunes, the Flaming Mountains near Turpan and the Sunday bazaar at Kashgar — a journey through deserts, oases and Central Asian culture that remains one of the great overland routes on earth.

Culture and Living Traditions

Tea ceremonies in Hangzhou, calligraphy classes in Beijing, tai chi at dawn in the temple park, Buddhist monasteries in the mountains of Sichuan and Tibetan prayer flags on Himalayan passes — China's living traditions permeate daily life and invite participation rather than mere observation.

Money & Currency

Chinese Yuan (CNY)

Currency code: CNY

Practical Money Tips

Link your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival

China has leapfrogged cash and cards into a mobile-payment society. WeChat Pay and Alipay are used for virtually everything — from street-food stalls and taxis to hotel bills and museum tickets. Foreign Visa and Mastercard holders can now link their cards directly to both apps without a Chinese bank account. Download Alipay (recommended as primary) and WeChat, link your card, complete passport verification and set a six-digit payment PIN before you leave home. The name on your card must match your passport exactly. Prepaid and virtual cards are typically rejected.

The currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY)

The official currency is the Renminbi (RMB), with the basic unit being the yuan (CNY). The yuan is subdivided into jiao (1/10) and fen (1/100, effectively obsolete). Banknotes circulate in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 yuan denominations. Exchange foreign currency at bank counters (Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank) or at airport exchange desks — never with unlicensed street changers. Exchange rates fluctuate; check the approximate rate before departure but avoid memorising a specific number as it will shift.

ATMs work in cities but are rare in rural areas

ATMs operated by major Chinese banks (Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China) accept foreign Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay cards and dispense yuan. They are widely available in cities but uncommon in small towns and rural areas. Withdrawal limits per transaction and per day vary by bank and by your home bank; daily limits of 2,500–10,000 CNY per transaction are typical. Fees apply from both the Chinese bank and your card issuer. Always have a backup plan — do not rely solely on ATM access.

Foreign credit and debit cards have limited direct acceptance

Despite the Visa and Mastercard logos on some hotel and department-store terminals, direct card swipes at point of sale remain unreliable for foreign-issued cards. International cards work most consistently at upscale hotels, airport shops and some chain restaurants in major cities. For everyday spending — markets, taxis, street food, convenience stores, smaller restaurants — mobile payment via Alipay or WeChat Pay is the only practical electronic option. German-style Girocard (EC-Karte) and Maestro cards have very limited functionality in China.

Carry some cash as a safety net

Despite the dominance of mobile payments, carrying a moderate amount of yuan in cash is prudent. Some taxi drivers, small vendors and rural businesses still prefer or require cash. Cash is also essential when your phone battery dies, your app malfunctions or the merchant's QR code scanner is offline — all of which happen. Withdraw from ATMs in cities, keep notes in various denominations (100, 50, 20, 10) and carry them alongside your linked mobile-payment apps.

Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.

Common Money Questions