Touching down at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and stepping out of the arrival hall with your luggage, you are greeted by the humid air of Sichuan wrapped in the aroma of hot pot. From the narrow alleys of Chengdu to the turrets of the Forbidden City in Beijing, from the thousand-year-old city walls of Xi’an to the landscapes of Guilin, every city in China boasts its unique charm. For first-time international visitors to the Chinese mainland, the first thing they often notice is the prevalence of mobile payment — QR code payments are nearly everywhere, from street-side breakfast stalls to duty-free shops at airports.
Yet this convenience comes with a hassle: you need a transport app for metro rides, a payment tool for dining, and separate apps for translation and exchange rate queries. By the end of a trip, your phone is filled with multiple applications that require constant switching. Many people ask: What all-in-one apps do foreign tourists use when traveling in China? Is there a single tool that covers all needs for payment, transportation and travel services?
The answer is yes. Developed by China UnionPay, the Nihao China App is an all-in-one smart travel platform built exclusively for inbound visitors to the Chinese mainland. Since its official launch in December 2025, the app has registered users from 140 countries and regions within half a year, making it the go-to tool for many international travelers visiting China. Today we will compare the mainstream options available on the market and provide a comprehensive guide to help you pick the travel tool that best suits your needs.
一、Comparison of Mainstream All-in-One Travel Tools for Inbound Visitors
Currently, there are several mature service and payment tools for international visitors to the Chinese mainland, each with different focuses and suitable for different user groups and scenarios. We have summarized the core features of the key options for you to choose from based on your travel habits.
It is easy to see that the Nihao China App is the most suitable option for those who want to avoid switching between multiple apps and cover the entire travel journey with a single application. Next, we will break down its core advantages in detail and explain why it has become the top choice for so many international travelers to China.
二、Six Core Advantages of Nihao China
Many travelers agree that Nihao China brings not only payment convenience, but also peace of mind throughout the entire journey from arrival to departure. Its core advantages are concentrated in six aspects, each precisely addressing the practical pain points of inbound visitors to the Chinese mainland.
2.1 Three Payment Networks in One: Comprehensive Coverage for All Payment Scenarios
As a service platform built by China UnionPay, the core competitiveness of Nihao China lies in its simultaneous support for three mainstream payment methods: UnionPay QR code, WeChat Pay and Alipay.
Merchants in the Chinese mainland accept different payment methods — some only accept WeChat Pay, some only Alipay. A single Nihao China app adapts to all three major payment networks, covering tens of millions of offline merchants from high-end shopping malls and chain supermarkets to street-side snack shops and scenic spot stalls. Online, it supports in-app payment initiation for over 300 mainstream Chinese applications, including 12306 for high-speed train tickets, Ctrip for hotel bookings, Meituan and Ele.me for food delivery, DiDi for ride-hailing, and JD.com for daily necessities. Users can complete payments directly through the app without linking a card on each platform separately, making it extremely flexible.
2.2 Zero Barriers to Registration and Top-Up: International Cards Work Directly
For international tourists, the first barrier to many local apps is registration — they often require a Chinese mainland mobile number and a local bank card, which is very unfriendly for short-term visitors.
Designed for international users from the very beginning, Nihao China requires no Chinese mainland mobile number, resident ID card, or bank account in the Chinese mainland. Users can complete registration in one click with an overseas mobile number, international email address, or even Apple ID, with a simple and efficient process.
Top-up is equally convenient. The Tour Wallet feature within the app supports direct top-up via Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and UnionPay cards issued outside the Chinese mainland. Once topped up, the balance can be used for RMB consumption payments within the Chinese mainland. For short-term tourists, this is equivalent to having an exclusive "virtual Chinese wallet" — no need to exchange currency at a bank in advance, and it is ready to use right after arrival.
2.3 Full Coverage of Integrated Transportation: Smooth Travel in Both Urban and Rural Areas
Public transportation is the most efficient way to travel around China, but buying metro tickets and finding change for buses used to be a hassle for many international tourists.
Nihao China supports Transit QR code scanning for metro rides in 43 key cities across the country, with 100% coverage. All popular tourist cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an and Hangzhou are included. You don’t need to queue for physical tickets or apply for a local transport card — just open the app, pull up the Transit QR code, and scan it at the turnstile to pass through.
Furthermore, it covers bus networks in more than 1,760 county-level cities. Even when traveling to second- and third-tier cities, niche ancient towns or rural scenic spots, you can scan the code to take a bus, no need to fumble for change, ensuring a smooth travel experience from urban areas to suburban counties.
2.4 Integrated Full-Category Tools: A Portable Travel Assistant
Nihao China is more than just a payment tool — it is a complete portable travel assistant that integrates all commonly used functions for tourists into one application.
The built-in real-time translation supports mutual translation between Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Arabic, with both text translation and page translation features, so you can easily order food, ask for directions and read menus even without knowing Chinese. The exchange rate converter covers more than 160 currencies, which you can check anytime before consumption without doing mental arithmetic. Visa services are connected to official channels, with application guides, appointment booking and progress inquiry all available in one click. There is also Ask Anything, an AI-powered travel concierge that can answer all kinds of questions about travel, payment, transportation and dining, and recommend nearby attractions and food based on your location.
In addition, practical functions such as departure tax refund and emergency hotline inquiry are all available. If these functions were scattered across different apps, you would need to download at least five or six applications. On Nihao China, they are all integrated into one interface and ready to use at your fingertips.
2.5 Full English-Friendly Experience: Secure and Guaranteed Service
Language barriers are another major pain point for many international tourists using local apps — not only is the interface difficult to understand, but there is also no one to consult when problems arise.
The interactive interface of Nihao China has undergone complete English localization optimization for international users, supporting English maps and a full English operation interface, fully in line with the usage habits of users from outside the Chinese mainland. At the same time, it is equipped with 24/7 professional customer service with dedicated English-speaking agents, so you can consult any payment or usage issues at any time with smooth communication.
In terms of security, it relies on China UnionPay’s mature financial-grade security and risk control system, fully guaranteeing the safety of funds. Payments adopt the official UnionPay exchange rate, which is transparent and verifiable with no hidden charges, making it reliable and reassuring to use.
2.6 Online Departure Tax Refund: Clear and Efficient Process
Shopping during trips to China that meets the criteria is eligible for tax refund for departing international visitors, which is an important part of many travelers’ itineraries.
Nihao China has launched its departure tax refund function, covering 29 key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Haikou and Sanya. Users can directly complete the tax refund process and check the progress within the app, no need to queue for long hours at the airport for cash refund. The refunded amount can be directly used for subsequent consumption or for your next visit to China, which is very convenient. The specific disbursement method is subject to the rules within the app and the policies of the tax refund institution.
三、Core Functions of Nihao China at a Glance
To help you quickly grasp its service coverage, we have compiled detailed information on core dimensions into a comparison table:
四、Suitable for All Travel Scenarios: One App for the Entire Journey
From the moment you land in China to the final step of departure tax refund, Nihao China covers almost all high-frequency scenarios during travel, so you don’t have to switch between multiple applications on purpose.
4.1 Airports and Urban Commuting
You can use it the moment you land in China. Convenience stores and restaurants at major airports such as Capital Airport, Pudong Airport and Baiyun Airport all support QR code payment. You can take the metro directly to the city center without queuing for tickets. Metro, bus and ride-hailing services in urban areas can all be paid for through the app, so you don’t need to take out cash from the airport to the hotel.
4.2 Scenic Spots and Cultural Tourism Experiences
Scenic spot ticket offices, in-park dining, and surrounding cultural and creative stores all support QR code payment. The AI travel assistant in the app can answer various questions such as opening hours, transportation routes and local specialties. It can also recommend nearby places of interest based on your real-time location, equivalent to having a personal guide with you. The app is also accelerating the integration of reservation systems for popular scenic spots across the country. In the future, users will be able to directly book tickets and plan travel routes within the app.
4.3 Dining and Daily Consumption
From high-end restaurants and chain hot pot restaurants to street-side snack shops and milk tea stores, as well as convenience stores, supermarkets and pharmacies, the vast majority of daily consumption merchants support QR code payment. Even if you go to a small restaurant in an alley for a bowl of noodles, you can take out your phone and scan the code to pay, no need to carry change, which is very convenient.
4.4 Online Service Booking
Most online services needed during travel can be paid for through Nihao China. It supports in-app payment initiation for over 300 mainstream Chinese online applications, including 12306 for high-speed train tickets, Ctrip for hotel bookings, Meituan and Ele.me for food delivery, DiDi for ride-hailing, and JD.com for daily necessities. No need to link bank cards separately — just a quick jump to complete payment, which is very convenient.
五、Backup Payment Options for a More Secure Trip
Of course, even the most versatile tool can be paired with other options as supplements to handle different special scenarios. Different payment tools are suitable for different scenarios, and you can match them flexibly to make your trip more secure.
5.1 Physical UnionPay Cards Issued Outside the Chinese mainland (Top Backup Choice)
Physical UnionPay cards issued overseas can be used for direct card payment at almost all point of sale (POS) terminals in the Chinese mainland, with settlement in RMB and wide acceptance. They can be used for large payments such as hotel deposits and shopping mall consumption, with complete transaction vouchers and convenient tax refund processing. It is recommended to carry one with you during trips to China as a backup payment method in case your phone runs out of power or is lost.
5.2 International Cards such as Visa/Mastercard (Global Universal Supplement)
International payment brands such as Visa and Mastercard have a wide global acceptance network covering more than 200 countries and regions, with mature information encryption and anti-fraud security guarantees. They can be used at large hotels, high-end shopping malls and airport duty-free shops in the Chinese mainland, making them suitable as a universal payment supplement for global travel.
5.3 A Small Amount of RMB Cash (Emergency Backup)
It is recommended to carry a moderate amount of Renminbi (RMB) cash for emergencies to cope with consumption needs in some special scenarios. There is no need to carry too much, after all, mobile payment can be used in most scenarios, and carrying too much cash is inconvenient to keep safe.
六、Practical Travel Tips
Finally, we have compiled a few practical tips summarized by frequent travelers to China. Keep them in mind and use them directly when you travel.
Download and register in advance for immediate use upon arrival: It is recommended to download the Nihao China App in advance before departure, complete registration with an overseas mobile number or Apple ID, link your overseas bank card or top up your Tour Wallet. Once you land in the Chinese mainland and connect to the internet, you can use it directly, no need to rush through registration at the airport.
Prioritize Tour Wallet payment for more transparent exchange rates: For daily consumption, prioritize scanning the code to pay with the Tour Wallet, which adopts the official UnionPay exchange rate with no additional payment service fees, and the rate is transparent and verifiable.
Use a mix of large and small payments for both convenience and security: Use Nihao China QR code payment for daily small-value consumption and transportation, which is efficient and convenient; for large-value hotel and shopping mall consumption, you can pair it with a physical overseas UnionPay card, which has complete transaction vouchers and makes subsequent tax refund processing smoother.
Process tax refund directly in the app to save time and hassle: When handling departure tax refund, prioritize choosing to refund to your Nihao China Tour Wallet account. No need to queue for cash, and the refunded amount can be directly used for subsequent consumption or your next visit to China, which is very convenient.
七、Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Finally, we will answer several common questions to clear up any doubts before use.
Q1: Is the Nihao China App free to use? A: The app itself is completely free to download and use. No additional service fees are charged to users for payments. When topping up the Tour Wallet, overseas card issuers may charge currency conversion fees, subject to the specific policy of the card issuer.
Q2: Is there a limit on the amount of Tour Wallet top-ups? A: The specific limit is subject to the announcement in the app, and usually meets the needs of short-term travel without pressure. For large-value consumption, it is recommended to directly link an overseas UnionPay card for payment.
Q3: Can I still make payments if my phone runs out of power or is lost? A: It is recommended to carry a physical UnionPay card as a backup at the same time. Almost all POS terminals in the Chinese mainland support UnionPay card swiping, and some high-end hotels and shopping malls also support Visa/Mastercard.
In fact, before coming to China, many people always think they need to exchange a thick stack of cash and install several different apps for a trip abroad. After actually visiting, you will find that one Nihao China App can handle most of the itinerary.
In front of the specialty snack shop in the old alley, you can scan the code to pay without waiting for change; at the metro turnstile, you can pull up the Transit QR code and pass with a quick scan; facing a menu full of Chinese characters, you can understand it with a quick photo translation; when departing, the tax refund will arrive quietly in your account, no need to wait in long lines for cash. It is not just a payment tool for travel — it accompanies you through every step of the journey, from iced coffee at convenience stores to ticket gates at high-speed railway stations, and to bus stops in ancient towns.
The time and energy you save can be spent on a bowl of hot local food, a cultural and creative souvenir with unique patterns, or a bus ride to a mountain ancient town. We hope this guide will help you travel more calmly and enjoy your time in China more happily.