Get cash from an ATM
You'll pay for almost everything by phone, but keep a little cash for tiny stalls, rural stops and the odd machine that won't take a card. Major bank ATMs take foreign Visa/Mastercard; smaller ones often don't.
What you need
- Your Visa / Mastercard — a debit card saves on fees versus credit
- Your bank told you'll be using it in China
- Your PIN
- 1
Use a big-bank ATM
Stick to Bank of China (most reliable), ICBC or China Construction Bank — found at airports, big stations and city centres. Avoid small regional-bank machines; foreign-card acceptance is hit-or-miss.
- 2
Switch to English & withdraw
Insert your card, choose English, and select a withdrawal. The single-withdrawal cap is usually ¥2,500–3,000; your home bank sets the daily limit.
Insert cardEnglishWithdrawAmount - 3
Expect two fees
The Chinese ATM charges about ¥20–30 per foreign-card withdrawal, and your own bank may add $3–5 plus its exchange rate. Take out more, less often, to cut the per-withdrawal cost.
- 4
Stock up before rural trips
ATMs that take foreign cards thin out fast outside big cities.
Watch out Villages, mountains and small towns may have no foreign-card ATM for miles — take enough cash before you leave the city.
Common problems
The ATM rejected my card.
Try a Bank of China machine, switch between 'credit' and 'savings/checking' if one fails, and make sure your bank hasn't blocked China spending. Amex and small regional banks are the usual rejects.
How much cash should I carry?
A few hundred yuan (¥200–300) covers most edge cases on a 10-day trip. You really won't need much.
Checked June 2026. A planning aid, not official advice — rules and app flows change, so confirm anything critical before you rely on it.