Beijing Travel Money Guide

Beijing is one of the easiest big cities to travel in once your phone is set up, and one of the most confusing if it isn't. Almost everything, from street breakfast to the metro, can be paid with a QR code. The good news is that foreign visitors can now join in, so you need much less physical cash than you might expect.

How much cash to bring to Beijing

A rough daily budget for a comfortable mid-range trip:

• Food — ¥150–350/day (a Peking duck dinner is the big-ticket item; noodles and dumplings are cheap)
• Local transport — ¥30–80/day on the metro, with the occasional taxi or ride-hailing trip
• Attractions — ¥100–350/day (the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and a Great Wall day all add up)

Paying your way around Beijing

• Link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay — both apps now let visitors bind an international Visa or Mastercard after a passport check. Do this before you fly, because verification can need a good connection.
• Metro with a foreign card — Beijing's metro has accepted tap-and-go payment from foreign Visa and Mastercard cards since September 2024, so you can tap straight through the gates. Keep your Alipay metro QR as a backup.
• Book big attractions ahead — the Forbidden City and some other major sites need advance online booking with your passport details, so check the official booking channel before you go.
• Keep some cash — small shops, older restaurants and some taxis may not manage a foreign-linked wallet. A little yuan saves the day.

Neighbourhood cash notes

• Wangfujing & Sanlitun — malls, big restaurants and hotels take cards and mobile pay without fuss.
• Hutong lanes (Nanluoguxiang, Gulou) — most stalls and cafés use QR codes, but a few tiny vendors still prefer cash.
• Silk Market and souvenir stalls — bargaining is part of the game, and some sellers prefer cash or QR transfer to a card.
• Great Wall day trips — ticket booths and shuttle buses may be QR-first; carry cash for snacks and a taxi back.

A couple of Beijing habits

• Keep your phone charged — a dead phone is also a dead wallet, metro pass and taxi booking. A small power bank is worth carrying.
• Download a maps and ride-hailing app that works in China — Google services can be unreliable there, and the payment apps often bundle ride-hailing and maps.