Originally Posted by
sinoflyer
Plenty ATMs in PEK to retrieve cash. How much cash to retrieve depends on what you want to do/shop/eat. A Peking duck dinner for two at Da Dong will easily set you back RMB 500 (~$75).
Yes, it really depends on where and what to eat. For me, I can easily survive with RMB300 for 36 hours on food alone if by myself. RMB500 will be more than sufficient in general. However, transportation and souvenirs will be extra.
Originally Posted by
sinoflyer
Could it be because of the EMV chip? I used to have problems with using my Visa card with just a magnetic stripe in China, but since receiving a new card with the chip, I have not encountered any problems. Now I use my airline CC all the time because it has no transaction fees.
The waiter specifically mentioned that they only accept Visa with UnionPay Logo. My two colleagues didn't have enough cash (can't believe that!!!) and had only AMEX and Visa (from US). I paid. I told them I should leave them at the restaurant and see how they could get back.
