We will be in Pek for just 36 hrs. I have prebooked transportation to the hotel, a full day tour the next day and transportation back to the airport. Can anyone recommend how much cash I should get and if I can just withdraw some from an ATM at the airport. All our admission tickets are included so I think just food .
thanks

I assume you prepaid the hotel already or have ensured the hotel will accept your credit card.

For food alone, RMB500/person should be more than enough for 36 hours, but it really depends on where and what you eat. Many places in China do not accept American Express, and i don't like using Visa when traveling (we were at a nice restaurant in Hangzhou that could only accept Visa with UnionPay logo). So cash is good.

I have never withdrawn RMB from ATM in PEK, but did that in ATM located in hotels in PVG. So I assume that should be OK. I would suggest you bring USD to exchange for RMB at the airport or in your hotel just in case. Use ATM if possible as the exchange rate is much better (but your bank may impose transaction fee).

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).

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.

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.

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.

Just pull out 300. This should be more than enough to feed yourself +1 at restaurants that don't accept foreign plastic (I.e. they are cheap). If you want to dine at a nicer place, you should be able to pay by with your credit card.

"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."

I've come across places that could not accept VISA/Mastercard unless it was a domestic VISA/Mastercard. Don't ask me to explain why. The logo they post makes no "China Cards Only" distinction.

thank you..I will have some USD on me also and we did use a prepaid rate at the Hilton!

In my case, I have a RMB credit card from the Hang Seng Bank in Hong Kong that has a UnionPay Logo. That is usually good enough.

1) Yes, there are ATMs at the airport. No fee from the ATM - just your bank. There are several when you exit customs or nearby.

2) China is more reliant on cash than the US, so you might err on the side of more. I would go 500rmb. You can always load up again later if you need too - ATMs are pretty prevalent.

It is the case for foreigners, but not for locals. Many usually pay with Alipay and WeChat Wallet (and UnionPay cards).

Many small restaurants and convenience stores don't do Wechat/Alipay.

I am actually amazed how many do. Even some "hole-in-the-wall" kind of place. But it probably depends on the city.

In Nanjing, there are a lot of "hole in the wall" places that perfectly accept WeChat/Alipay indeed, but as said, probably depends heavily on the city.

To OP, it depends massively what and where you'll be eating.

You can easily eat out (reasonable, not fast food..) for less than 200 RMB per person (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) - that would be either included breakfast at the hotel or a snack (like those wheat/omelette sellers who make you that goodness snack on the hot, round plate), then for lunch some place with a lunch meal (around 40-50 RMB most usually), and a dinner at a restaurant / at a place in a mall for around 150 RMB (for example, a lot of hot pot including beer at places like "Little Lamb/Sheep")

http://www.littlesheephotpot.com/ (they expanded even overseas, and the menu is in English as well)

That said, of course you can go splurge and spend 1000 RMB if you feel like it.. China isn't much different than any other country. Or you can cut it and easily feed yourself with tasty stuff for less than 50 RMB per day (2-3 Baozi for lunch, Halal noodles with meat and vegis for dinner for example..)