City's 2 airports upgrade payment and Internet services for foreign travelers

Credit: Dong Jun

Shanghai's two major airports have enhanced their payment and wireless Internet services for foreign travelers ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.

According to the Shanghai Observer, there are 370 outlets at the Pudong and Hongqiao airports that accept a variety of payment methods, including international bank cards, WeChat, and Alipay's foreign card service.

Both airports have 18 foreign currency exchange counters, seven banks, and 16 ATMs.

At a service desk in Shanghai Pudong International Airport's Terminal 2, a staffer in charge of Alipay's mobile payment project claimed users can use 10 different types of overseas e-wallets to scan the Alipay payment codes.

Credit: Dong Jun

These 10 e-wallets serve 10 different countries, including South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Foreigners from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and other regions do not need to purchase a Chinese subscriber identity module (SIM) card.

They can download the Alipay app, create an Alipay account using their international mobile phone number or email address, and then link their Visa, Mastercard, or other foreign bank cards to the account to make payments.

In addition, 28 Wi-Fi self-service machines have been installed in Pudong airport's two terminals, allowing passengers to scan their passports for wireless Internet access.