You’ve linked your foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay and made your first payment. Now what? These super-apps do far more than process transactions — they’re your gateway to booking restaurants, accessing city services, translating menus, and navigating China’s digital ecosystem as a foreigner. This guide covers the features most useful for travellers going beyond basic payments.
Table of contents
Open Table of contents
Alipay Mini-Programs for Travellers
Mini-programs (小程序, xiǎo chénxù) are apps-within-apps — lightweight services accessible directly from Alipay without downloading anything separately. Tap the grid icon at the top of the Alipay home screen or search by name.
Transport mini-programs
Metro tickets (地铁乘车码) Most major Chinese cities have an official metro app or mini-program accessible via Alipay. Search “[City name] 地铁” in Alipay. You’ll see a QR code to scan at subway turnstiles. Much faster than queuing for a card or paper ticket.
- Beijing: search “北京地铁” → 亿通行 (Yitongxing)
- Shanghai: search “Metro大都会”
- Guangzhou / Shenzhen: search “乘车码”
- Hangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an: all have city-specific metro codes
Taxi / DiDi integration Alipay has a built-in DiDi integration — tap “Travel” or “Ride-hailing” on the home screen to book a car without switching apps.
High-speed train tickets Tap “Train Tickets” in Alipay’s service section to access 12306 bookings without the main app. Useful if you’re already in Alipay.
Food and dining mini-programs
Ele.me (饿了么) — Food Delivery Ele.me is Alibaba’s food delivery service, integrated directly into Alipay. For foreigners staying in central hotels, delivery can be a convenient option for trying local food without leaving your room — particularly useful late at night.
Koubei (口碑) — Restaurant Booking & Reviews Alipay’s restaurant discovery platform. Search by area or cuisine, see user reviews, and book tables or pay via QR at the table.
Useful service mini-programs
Huabei (花呗) — Credit Feature If you’ve been using Alipay for a while and qualified, Huabei allows deferred payment similar to a credit card. Foreigners rarely qualify, but it’s worth being aware of.
Idle Fish / Xianyu (闲鱼) — Secondhand Marketplace Not typically useful for tourists, but mentioned because some travellers use it to buy or sell second-hand equipment.
WeChat Pay Mini-Programs and Features
”Scan” for everything
The WeChat scan function (摄像头 icon in top-right corner of a chat) does more than just pay:
- Scan QR codes to add friends or join group chats
- Translate text in photos (tap “Translate” after scanning)
- Scan product barcodes to look up information
- Open mini-programs embedded in QR codes
WeChat mini-programs for travellers
Didi (滴滴) — Ride hailing Available as a mini-program within WeChat. If you already have WeChat Pay set up, Didi within WeChat works without a separate download.
Meituan (美团) — Food & Hotel China’s largest on-demand services platform, accessible as a WeChat mini-program. Useful for booking hotels at competitive prices and ordering food delivery.
Weixin Official Accounts (公众号) Many tourist attractions, museums, and transportation services have WeChat Official Accounts that let you:
- Book tickets in advance (skip queues)
- Download digital maps
- Access audio guides in multiple languages
To find an attraction’s account: scan the QR code posted at the entrance, or search the attraction’s name in WeChat.
Transferring Money Between Users
Alipay transfers
Alipay allows foreign-registered accounts (with International Balance) to:
- Transfer to another Alipay user (some restrictions apply)
- Request money from another user (红包 “red packets” feature)
- Split restaurant bills via the “AA Collect” function
To transfer: find the contact in Alipay, tap “Transfer,” enter the amount.
Note: Transfer capabilities for international users are more restricted than for domestic users. You can transfer to a Chinese friend to reimburse them, but peer-to-peer transfers from your international balance may have daily/monthly caps.
WeChat “Red Packets” (红包)
Red packets are digital cash gifts exchanged via WeChat — a major cultural tradition during festivals and birthdays. As a foreign user, you can:
- Receive red packets from Chinese friends (funds go to your WeChat wallet)
- Send red packets if your WeChat Pay has a sufficient linked card balance
Getting Refunds
From stores and restaurants
When a merchant initiates a refund:
- Alipay refunds go back to your International Balance immediately to within a few hours
- WeChat Pay refunds go back to the original card within 1–7 business days
Disputing a charge
If you were overcharged or a service wasn’t delivered:
- Find the transaction in the app (Alipay: Me → Transactions; WeChat: Me → Services → Wallet → Transactions)
- Tap the transaction and look for “申请退款” (Apply for Refund) or “有问题” (Issue with this payment)
- For app-based purchases, the in-app dispute process is usually sufficient
- For serious disputes, contact Alipay customer service via the app’s “Help & Feedback” section
Topping Up and Withdrawing
Alipay International Balance top-up
- Minimum: typically ¥50–¥100
- Maximum: depends on your verification level (usually ¥50,000 cumulative)
- Fee: approximately 3% (charged by your card issuer or Alipay — varies)
Withdrawing remaining balance after your trip
You can withdraw your remaining Alipay International Balance back to your foreign card after leaving China. Allow 3–7 business days. Some foreign banks may apply a foreign transaction fee on the reverse transfer.
Protecting Your Account
- Enable fingerprint/Face ID login in both apps — essential if your phone is lost
- Don’t save large amounts in your balance — keep only what you need for the next few days
- Log out of shared devices immediately after use
- Set a payment PIN separate from your lock screen PIN
Last updated: May 2026 · App features change with updates. Screenshots may differ from the current version.