Local Tip
Before you fly, link a UK Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay, as phone payment is near universal in China. Carry your passport too: Beijing's banks and exchange counters ask for it.
Where to change money in Beijing
Banks showing a currency exchange sign, licensed counters and self-service machines all change foreign cash into yuan (renminbi); expect to show your passport.
- Bank branches, such as Bank of ChinaThe city's English payment guide models a Bank of China visit: take a Personal Banking ticket, collect the form (it comes in English) at the front desk, and hand it to the teller with your cash and passport. Keep the receipt.
- United Money, Wangfujing Station (Line 8) This licensed counter is in the passenger service centre on the Line 8 concourse's north side, near Exit E. It opened in April 2025, exchanging about 40 currencies to and from yuan; launch hours were 10:00 to 20:00 daily, subject to on-site notices, and it was still licensed in March 2026.
- Dongzhimen Station, Capital Airport Express On the Capital Airport Express, Dongzhimen station has another licensed exchange counter in its level B1 passenger service centre.
Changing money at the airport
At Beijing Capital (PEK), Grace Currency Exchange runs a 24-hour counter inside the Terminal 3 international baggage hall (T3-C, level 2), and United Money and Travelex have further counters in the departure halls and airside. Opposite T3's level 2 international arrivals exit, a service centre advises on foreign-card withdrawals, changes small sums by machine and helps link cards to Alipay and WeChat Pay; a Bank of China ATM stands beside it. At Daxing (PKX), United Money has a counter in the level 1 international baggage reclaim hall, and a 'Beijing Service' desk at international arrivals, open since January 2025, helps with card withdrawals, exchange and payment apps.
ATMs and cards in Beijing
Bank of China's machines take Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, JCB and American Express cards issued abroad, around the clock, up to 3,000 yuan per foreign-card withdrawal; the bank says your card issuer sets any fee, so look up your UK bank's overseas cash charges. Capital airport's ATMs belong to Bank of China and China Construction Bank. If a Beijing machine or shop terminal proposes converting the bill to sterling, decline and settle in yuan (CNY) so your card provider handles the conversion.
Paying for transport in Beijing
Since June 2025 you can tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB or UnionPay card at gates across the Beijing Subway, both airport express lines included, with no ticket or app. Ticket machines take overseas cards too, for companions' single tickets or to settle a fare difference. Taxis take cash: in 2024 the city said 'Cash Payment Accepted' signs were displayed inside them.
Good to know
- Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes can't be exchanged in China, the UK Foreign Office warns, so bring Bank of England notes.
- Fake 100-yuan notes circulate, even from ATMs, and banks won't replace them, so check notes as you receive them.
- To change leftover yuan back, take your passport to a bank counter or the Wangfujing counter.
Key Areas in Beijing
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Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
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Beijing travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Beijing?
A bank branch with an exchange sign, such as Bank of China, is the usual choice, and the United Money counter at Wangfujing Station (Line 8, near Exit E) is central. As paying by phone is almost universal, you may need little cash.
Can I get yuan as soon as I land at Capital or Daxing?
Yes. Capital's 24-hour counter in the T3-C international baggage hall lets you change cash before you reach arrivals. At Daxing, try United Money's counter in the baggage reclaim hall or the 'Beijing Service' desk at the arrivals exit.
Can I rely on Alipay, WeChat Pay and a contactless card in Beijing?
Mostly. Both apps accept a foreign Visa or Mastercard, and the subway takes contactless cards, but carry some yuan, as not every merchant accepts overseas cards.
Checked September 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Beijing Capital International Airport Β· State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Beijing Branch Β· Chaoyang District People's Government, Beijing Β· Travelex China Β· Beijing Municipal Government Β· Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office
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