Places to pay.
What works at the counter, what to say to staff, and what to do when the app fails. Every page includes a cash fallback.
Open the 3-step toolAt the counter: pay in under a minute.
Yes. Most convenience stores take Alipay, WeChat Pay, and cash. Foreign cards rarely work directly at the till.
Scan the table code, order, and pay in the app.
Yes, but not always with a card. Sit-down restaurants often expect Alipay or WeChat Pay through a table QR code. Cash is still accepted by law.
Street taxi or Didi? Pay before you move.
Cash works in street taxis. Didi needs Alipay or WeChat Pay with a bound card. Neither needs a Chinese bank account.
Train tickets: three places to pay, three different checks.
Sometimes. 12306 accepts some foreign cards, ticket machines often do not, and staffed counters are the best backup. Cash works at counters.
Buy the ticket before the queue, not in it.
Usually yes. Big attractions sell tickets through mini programs and staffed counters. Small sites may take cash only.
Feeling unwell? Sort out payment before the queue.
Usually yes, with cash or a QR app. Hospitals ask you to register and pay before seeing a doctor. International clinics take cards.