If you’re planning a trip to China, one of the best things you can do to make your travels smoother is to set up Alipay or Wechat. It’s one of the most commonly used payment methods in China even for small purchases like street food or train rides. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll share how I got mine set up easily, so you can enjoy a fuss-free holiday without worrying about cash or card issues.
You’ll need your credit or debit card and your passport in case identity verification is required.
Set Up Alipay
After adding you can now pay with your credit / debit card in China.
Set Up Wechat
After adding you can now pay with your credit / debit card in China.
When setting up your account, they might ask you to snap a photo of your passport and your face. It’s a required step before you can start using the payment app.
Things To Note
When using the payment app in China, there may be additional administrative charges for transactions above RMB 200 because we are using a non-China account. You can politely ask the vendor if they’re okay with splitting the payment into smaller amounts. So far, most vendors have been fine with us making multiple transactions.
More China Travel Information
If you are flying with China Southern Airlines and have a layover in Guangzhou, check out how you can enjoy a free 1 night stay in the city.
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