Places to exchange currency in China

I made the mistake once of exchanging $200 at Pudong airport and got a terrible rate. Since then, I stick to ATMs - Bank of China or ICBC machines always worked with my card and gave me RMB at fair rates. In Shanghai, I found ICBC ATMs everywhere, especially near People’s Square. For anyone landing, I’d say skip the exchange counters unless you need emergency cash. Just use the ATMs right at the airport and top up in the city.

Chinese airports have exchange counters but with high margins. The better choice is ATMs - Bank of China, ICBC, and CCB machines are common and accept Visa removed link They dispense RMB at the official bank rate. In major cities like Shanghai or Guangzhou, you’ll find reliable ATMs at metro stations too. Exchange offices aren’t common outside airports or banks. Safe plan: withdraw a little from an airport ATM for transport, then use bank ATMs in the city for larger amounts.

When I flew into Beijing, I skipped the exchange counters and used a Bank of China ATM in arrivals. The rate was much better and linked directly to my card. In cities, ICBC and Agricultural Bank ATMs also worked fine. If you carry USD or EUR, you can exchange them at Bank of China branches in the city with fair rates, but it’s time-consuming. For convenience, I always use airport ATMs for my first cash - avoids getting ripped off at counters.

In China, the airport exchange counters are convenient but not cheap. You’ll get better results using ATMs in arrivals. ICBC, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank machines are reliable and usually give fair official rates. I normally withdraw a small amount at the airport, then more later in the city. Shanghai Pudong and Beijing Capital airports both have plenty of ATMs near baggage claim. Carry some cash because smaller shops still prefer RMB, and don’t expect many places to accept foreign cards.