When you first set foot in China, you may be filled with anticipation for its stunning landscapes and rich local customs, but you may also face unfamiliar challenges in payment, transportation, and language communication. Scanning QR codes to pay at neighborhood stores, navigating urban subway systems, and overcoming language barriers — these everyday trivialities can often turn into minor inconveniences during your trip.
There is no need to exchange large sums of cash in advance, download multiple local apps, or struggle with Chinese-language interfaces. A single all-in-one mobile application can handle all kinds of daily travel matters, making your journey less hectic and more relaxed. Developed by China UnionPay, the Nihao China App is a one-stop smart travel platform built exclusively for international visitors to China. More than just a mobile payment tool, it serves as a digital travel companion covering all scenarios of transportation, daily life, culture and tourism, supporting your travel experience from the moment you arrive until your departure.
An application that truly understands travelers' pain points never comes into being by chance. It is backed by mature financial infrastructure and built on a deep insight into the service needs of visitors to China.
Developed by China UnionPay, the Nihao China App was officially launched on December 19, 2025 at the China International Travel Mart 2025, coinciding with the official launch of the whole-island customs closure operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port. By integrating payment, consumption, cultural and tourism resources, it helps elevate the service capacity of Hainan as an international tourism consumption center, serving as a manifestation of the major strategy for financial infrastructure services.
Built on the mature underlying technology of China UnionPay's UnionPay App and its operational experience serving 500 million users, the platform features the core brand slogan "广聚全球，支付无忧", with the official English version "Easy Pay Easy Go". It is a payment service platform specially designed for foreign nationals visiting China, and ranks among the most foreigner-friendly payment applications available. Since its launch half a year ago, its registered users have covered 140 countries and regions. It is committed to becoming one of the digital bridges connecting China and the world, injecting new digital impetus into promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges as well as economic cooperation.
For long-distance travel, cumbersome procedures are the last thing anyone wants. From the very beginning of its design, this application has embedded user-friendliness into every step of the process. No local mobile number or local bank card is required, and you can start using it with just a few simple operations.
Registration is available via three methods: mobile phone numbers from outside the Chinese mainland, international email addresses, and Apple ID. No Chinese mobile phone number or resident ID card is required throughout the process. Designed for international users from inception, the registration flow is highly user-friendly, free from the access thresholds of domestic applications.
Top-up is realized through the exclusive Travel Wallet function, which supports direct top-up with major cards issued outside the Chinese mainland, including UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and Diners Club. UnionPay-branded bank cards issued outside the Chinese mainland can also be directly linked to the App for use.
This means you do not need to visit a bank to open an account or exchange large amounts of cash in advance. With just an overseas bank card, you can have your own dedicated RMB digital wallet and make payments directly as soon as you connect to the internet after arriving in China.
Nihao China does not charge users additional service fees for payment transactions. The exchange rate adopts the official UnionPay exchange rate, which can be queried in real time on the official UnionPay website, with full transparency and no hidden charges. Only card issuers outside the Chinese mainland may charge currency conversion fees according to their own policies, and the overall consumption cost is clear and controllable.
The rhythm of travel is woven into every QR code payment and every trip. The application integrates all consumption and transportation scenarios, so you do not need to switch between multiple apps — a single smartphone is all you need to travel freely across streets and alleys.
Its core competitiveness lies in supporting three mainstream payment methods simultaneously: UnionPay QR code, WeChat Pay, and Alipay. One registration and top-up gives you access to three major payment networks, covering tens of millions of offline merchants. From high-end shopping malls and chain convenience stores to street snack shops and scenic area cultural and creative stalls, most daily consumption scenarios can be completed with one scan, eliminating the need to download three payment apps and switch back and forth.
Online consumption is equally convenient. It supports in-app payment initiation for over 300 mainstream Chinese online applications. Buying high-speed train tickets, booking hotels, ordering food delivery, and hailing ride-hailing services can all be completed via direct redirection, without the need to link cards and complete verification separately in each application.
It supports QR code subway rides in 43 key cities across China, including all major tourist destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Xi'an. You can scan the QR code to pass through subway turnstiles without purchasing physical tickets.
It covers bus networks in more than 1,760 county-level cities, forming a three-dimensional travel payment system of rail transit + ground buses. Even when traveling to second- and third-tier cities or county-level scenic spots, you can scan the code to take buses.
Based on your real-time location, you can also quickly find nearby ATMs and foreign currency exchange outlets, with an English-language map interface currently available.
The Services and Travel Assistant sections of the Nihao China App have launched new features, supporting direct ride-hailing as well as the purchase of train tickets, air tickets, and intercity bus tickets. Train ticketing connects to more than 10 platforms for fast issuance; air tickets cover over 1,000 low-cost routes and more than 100 global airlines; intercity bus ticket services are currently limited to the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Macao Special Administrative Region.
Small daily hassles can be the most draining during travel: the awkwardness of language barriers, the hassle of exchange rate conversion, and the cumbersome tax refund procedures. All these matters that normally require careful inquiry can be resolved right in this application.
It supports real-time translation in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Arabic, real-time exchange rate conversion for over 160 currencies, as well as visa application guides and progress inquiry services. It also has a built-in one-click query function for key emergency service numbers in the Chinese mainland, covering medical services, police, fire alarms, traffic rescue, and more.
The service has covered 29 key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Haikou, and Sanya. You can directly submit tax refund applications and track processing progress within the App, and the refund amount can be directly credited to your Travel Wallet account, eliminating the need to queue for cash refunds at the airport.
It features built-in cultural and tourism information, entry guides, catering recommendations, and travel tips. Equipped with an AI travel assistant, it can answer various questions about travel, payment, transportation, and dining. It can also proactively provide practical information such as nearby restaurants, scenic spots, and transportation routes based on your location and behavioral habits, acting as a thoughtful digital travel assistant.
When you are in a foreign land, peace of mind is invaluable. The security of every transaction and the response to every inquiry form the solid reassurance throughout your journey.
Relying on China UnionPay's mature financial infrastructure, Nihao China is equipped with a financial-grade security risk control system verified by billions of users. With a nationwide deployment of two locations and three centers and over 30,000 servers, it can process more than 100,000 concurrent transactions per second, providing robust guarantee for the security of fund transactions.
More importantly, it is staffed with a 24/7 professional customer service team with dedicated English-speaking agents. If you encounter issues such as failed card linking, abnormal transactions, or refund inquiries, you can communicate and resolve problems in English at any time, without facing the language barrier of Chinese-only customer service.
Different trip durations come with different priorities. Adjusting how you use the app according to your travel plans will help you make the most of its convenience.
Short itineraries prioritize convenience and ease of use above all. The Nihao China App alone covers the entire process of payment, transportation, translation, and tax refund, eliminating the hassle of registering for multiple services. It has low barriers to registration and top-up, with a user-friendly English interface, covering most consumption scenarios during your trip. You may carry a small amount of RMB cash for a few special scenarios.
For daily commuting, dining, and small-value expenses, you can use Nihao China's QR code payment for efficiency and convenience. It can be paired with a physical UnionPay card issued outside the Chinese mainland for large expenses such as hotel deposits and business banquets, with complete transaction receipts for reimbursement and tax refund processing. The combination balances efficiency and reliability.
During the transition period before you open a local bank account, Nihao China can serve as your primary payment tool. It also supports family members to top up the wallet via cards issued outside the Chinese mainland to meet your initial living and consumption needs. After you obtain a local bank card, you can still keep this application for exclusive services such as transportation and tax refunds.
A little preparation before departure brings greater ease during your trip. These practical tips may help you avoid unnecessary troubles.
Q1: Is there a charge for downloading and using the Nihao China App? A: The App is free to download and register, and no additional service fees are charged to users for payment transactions. Only when topping up the Travel Wallet may some card issuers outside the Chinese mainland charge currency conversion fees, subject to the specific policies of the card issuer.
Q2: Is a Chinese mobile phone number required for registration? A: No. The application supports registration with mobile phone numbers from major countries and regions around the world, as well as joint login via international email and Apple ID. No Chinese mobile phone number is required throughout the process.
Q3: Can I use it to take public transportation? A: Yes. The application supports QR code subway rides in 43 key cities across China, and covers bus networks in more than 1,760 county-level cities. No physical tickets are required — simply scan the code to pass.
Q4: How is the exchange rate calculated for refunds after payment? A: Refunds for payments made through Nihao China are returned to the Travel Wallet via the original payment route, and the exchange rate is based on the UnionPay exchange rate at the time the transaction took place.
Q5: Which cities support departure tax refunds? A: Departure tax refunds have covered 29 key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Haikou, and Sanya. You can directly submit applications and check progress within the App.
From your first payment after arrival to tax refund processing before departure, from urban public transportation to cross-city itinerary booking, the Nihao China App integrates all high-frequency needs of travel to China into a single application, removing the inconveniences of cross-border travel with convenient digital services.
You no longer need to worry about trivial matters of payment, transportation, and communication, and can fully immerse yourself in exploring China's natural scenery and cultural heritage. May every visitor from afar enjoy a smooth, worry-free travel experience accompanied by the Nihao China App, and complete your journey to China with wonderful, lasting memories.
Translation aligned with official terms from the UnionPay International Glossary
