Exchanging money and booking hotels day-by-day in China

Hi there, I’m planning a backpacking trip to China at the end of April, and I’ve got two key questions. 1. Money: where to exchange it? My usual approach is to carry cash for the whole trip, so the question is: where can I get a decent rate? Airport, exchange bureau, bank, hotel, or jewelry store? The answer varies a lot depending on the country. What’s the best option for China? Extra detail: I might arrive on a Saturday. 2. Booking hotels day-by-day: how to do it? Until 2022, I’d just show up at places I’d spotted and negotiate. Now, I bring a smartphone and use Booking or Agoda, but these sites now require an OTP sent by email to log in, and I won’t have access to my ProtonMail account in China (even with a VPN, it’s uncertain). Can anyone tell me how to handle this? Worst case, by setting up a dedicated email account that works in China—but with which provider? Or maybe using a different booking platform? Thanks.

Hi there,

I’ll also be in China in March/April—I was there last November, and I’d advise against exchanging money at the airport since the rate isn’t great. I withdrew cash directly from Bank of China ATMs using my debit card, and it was free. My bank also doesn’t charge fees, so you get the real daily exchange rate. For hotels, I use the CTRIP site—it has a great selection of affordable rooms—or Booking as a last resort for China. Plus, you can buy train tickets on CTRIP if needed. You can book as late as the day before if necessary, or well in advance if you find good deals with free cancellation. That way, you stay flexible—just make sure to check the cancellation deadlines.

For internet, I’m with FREE, so no issues—we get 35GB of free roaming per month, and there’s no censorship. Otherwise, you’ll need a Chinese SIM, which *will* be censored. Free VPNs no longer work, and about 50% of paid ones don’t either.

Hi,

For CTRIP, is it trip.com? Why withdraw money since you can pay with Alipay, right? For trains, there’s also 12GO, isn’t there?

Hi,

Yes, CTRIP.COM is Chinese-owned and offers a wide selection of hotels in China at good prices. The same goes for trains—12GO is more expensive and doesn’t cover all options in China. Alipay is Chinese; it’s best to avoid it. In China, it’s safer to disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when Alipay is on your phone—there’s no solid theft protection in case of a dispute in China. Everyone makes their own choices, though. 😉

Thanks, so do I need Alipay and WeChat to pay?

Personally, I’d advise against it for a foreigner—generally in China, if there’s a dispute, the Chinese party will be in the right. But hey, I’ll say it again: everyone does what they want. Paying in cash avoids any problems or disputes with merchants, except for international companies like CTRIP or banks.

Actually, I thought you couldn't pay in cash everywhere in China and that it was essential to install Alipay.... For CTRip? Is that trip.com, or is CTRIP a different site?

Cheap hotels and accommodations | Trip.com

I paid for everything in cash last November—restaurants, supermarkets, taxis. For my next trip next month, it’ll be the same. Since I don’t have any bank fees, might as well take advantage of it.

no fees either, but for the subway, cash payment?

Yes, all payment methods are accepted in the big stations, otherwise Visa or MasterCard are also accepted.

Hi there! You can pay in cash everywhere. I was in the Yuanyang mountains twice last year and had no issues—everyone had cash. Kunming Metro has all payment options available, and urban buses cost 2 yuan when you board (exact change required). Otherwise, apps like Touch 'n' Go (Malaysia) work everywhere too—I used it regularly. You’ll need internet, though.

Thanks

Thanks for this info. I’m heading to China for the first time, solo, and I’ve read so many times that no credit cards work. Some blogs make payment sound like a real headache. Can I pay for hotels with my credit card, except in small towns of course?

Can I arrive in China with yuan exchanged in France, or are there limits?

Hi there, No, ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard. Anyway, it's indicated on the ATMs—you'll see the logos of the accepted cards. Then you can choose English and sometimes French as the language. I withdraw from Bank of China ATMs because there are no fees, and my bank doesn’t charge any either. They’re everywhere: airports, train stations, cities. No need to have currency before you leave; you’ll get it with fees. Cash is accepted everywhere. You can pay for your hotels with your credit card. For China, I book my hotels and trains on .Official Trip.com site: Hotels, flight tickets, and train tickets—the selection and prices are good.

Thanks so much, Patrick! That’s really useful info.

Now onto my second concern: I’ll need to book a hotel in Beijing for the first few days soon. It’s a big challenge when you’re gluten-intolerant and don’t speak Chinese.

OK, replying to myself. I pay with ALIPAY installed before leaving. VPN: nordvpn doesn’t work, even with the new protocol. Let's VPN, bought before leaving, works perfectly. 10 € for one month. VPN is essential for ChatGPT. Chinese SIM card bought at Guangzhou train station upon arrival. Withdrew cash from an ATM on arrival. Hotels and flights booked on 12Go and Trip.com. On 12Go: 2 train trips.

Hello, I only just saw today that I’ve had replies to this post—thanks to everyone, and especially for confirming that it’s definitely possible to use only cash. Many people say it’s really complicated or even impossible, but those are usually people who had payment apps, so it makes sense—they went for the easiest option.

For all my trips, I take cash and exchange it (only, except for bookings on Agoda/Booking with Visa). It’s actually safer in the sense that it works everywhere, all the time. Plus, for someone like me who doesn’t like being tracked, it’s a bonus.

Maybe this time I’ll withdraw from an ATM since my arrival timing is super tight and it’s the end of the week. I’ll note Bank of China for the machines.

For trains, I’ve noticed that 12Go charges a pretty hefty commission compared to Trip.com. Another advantage of Trip for hostels and hotels: there’s way more choice (for China)! Note: always check, no matter the site, in the property details—the mention of whether they accept foreigners.

For mobile connection, based on what I’ve read, the simplest (and free) option is probably using hotel Wi-Fi with a VPN (30-day trial) in the evenings. Though there’s the uncertainty of which VPN will work well when you leave. Otherwise, the plan with Free’s 20 € package (no VPN) also comes up often for those who want to stay connected on the go. Others use eSIMs (if I understood correctly, it’s the same as a Free plan or similar—no VPN needed), but not all phones are compatible. Watch out, eSIM prices vary a lot.

Hi, I'm here right now—I withdrew from a Bank of China ATM, and it’s fee-free. You can also choose English as the language.

Hello, I only just saw today that I had replies to this message, thanks to everyone, and especially for confirming that it’s indeed possible to use only cash. Many people say it’s very complicated or even impossible, but those are people who had payment apps, so it makes sense—they took the easiest route. For all my trips, I bring cash and exchange it (only, except for bookings on Agoda/Booking with Visa). It’s actually safer in the sense that it works everywhere, all the time. And as a bonus for me, since I don’t like being tracked: you’re not monitored. Maybe this time I’ll withdraw from an ATM since my arrival timing is super tight and it’s the end of the week. I’m noting Bank of China for the machines.

For trains, I’ve indeed noticed that 12Go takes a pretty significant commission compared to Trip.com. Another advantage of Trip for hostels and hotels: there’s a much wider selection (for China)! Note: always check, no matter the site, in the property details—the mention of foreigner acceptance.

For mobile connection, based on my reading, the simplest (and free) option is probably Wi-Fi with a VPN (30-day trial) in the evenings at the hotel (though there’s the uncertainty of knowing which VPN works well at the time of departure). Otherwise, the plan with Free’s 20 € package (no VPN) also comes up often for those who want to stay connected on the go. Others use eSIMs (if I understood correctly, it’s the same as a Free plan or similar: no VPN needed), but not all phones are compatible. Watch out—the prices for eSIMs vary a lot.

I see you don’t like being tracked... Don’t set foot in China.... Have a good trip

Hi there, You can pay in cash everywhere. I was in the Yuanyang mountains twice last year and had no issues—everyone had cash. Kunming Metro has all options available, urban buses cost 2 yuan when you board. Exact change is needed. Other apps like Touch'n'Go (Malaysia) also work everywhere—I used it regularly. You need internet.

Hi Eric,

I’m taking advantage of this discussion to ask about Yuanyang, where you’ve been several times. I’d love to go, but I’ve read that the time we’re planning to visit—early November—isn’t the best for seeing the rice terraces at their finest. March is apparently better. Do you confirm this? Should we skip it in favor of northern Yunnan? (We’ll be in Gansu beforehand and will spend a few days around Zhangjiajie afterward)

Hi there, Yes, I can confirm. November is the worst time. March is the best time when the rice terraces are flooded. They start planting the rice from early to mid-April.

Thanks! (That’s exactly what I was afraid of.)

Hi there,

I just bought a ticket directly at the station 4 days before departure—no extra fees, and you can pay with Visa. Online resellers really mark up the prices. You use the translator on your phone with the agent, and that’s it. I took a screenshot from a reseller’s site with the time, date, and destination, and it took 5 minutes. Just remember: your passport is mandatory to buy a ticket and to enter the station on the day of departure.