If you are preparing for a China trip, you may see TourCard or Tour Pass mentioned in Alipay discussions. It is a prepaid-card route provided through Bank of Shanghai inside the Alipay ecosystem: funds are loaded from an eligible international card and then spent in RMB through a prepaid balance.
The important 2026 reality is that direct international-card linking in Alipay is often the simpler starting point. TourCard/Tour Pass can still be useful when it is available to your account and you specifically want a prepaid balance, but it is not a mandatory setup step for most short-term visitors.
What TourCard/Tour Pass is
Alipay's published Tour Pass agreement describes a prepaid-card service supplied by Bank of Shanghai. Eligible users load funds from an international-card-network bank card; the value is then used for purchases in mainland China. The agreement also says that unused funds can be converted back to the original-card currency and returned to that card, subject to the service terms and exchange rate at the time.
This means TourCard is not the same as simply adding your Visa, Mastercard, or other supported card to Alipay. It introduces an extra prepaid layer between your home-bank card and the merchant payment.
Direct card linking versus TourCard
For many travellers, direct linking is the low-friction choice:
- You add an eligible international card to Alipay and pay from that card.
- You do not need to estimate and pre-load a travel balance.
- Your transaction history stays closer to the original card payment.
TourCard can make sense when the feature is shown in your own Alipay account and you meet its eligibility checks; you prefer to set a fixed trip budget in RMB; or a payment flow specifically asks you to use a balance or prepaid option.
Availability, supported cards, limits, identity checks and fees can change. Treat the screens and terms in your app as the final authority rather than relying on an old tutorial.
Setup: a cautious, practical path
- Download the official Alipay app before arrival and update it.
- Try linking your normal international card first.
- Complete any requested identity verification using your real passport details.
- Test the setup with a small, ordinary purchase once you have a stable internet connection.
- If you can see TourCard/Tour Pass and want the prepaid route, read the current in-app terms before loading money.
- Keep a second payment method, such as another card or some RMB cash, for a first-day backup.
Do not load more than you expect to spend merely because the option is available. A prepaid balance can be convenient, but it also creates a refund and exchange-rate step at the end of the trip.
The Bank of Shanghai angle
Bank of Shanghai is the financial institution named in the Tour Pass service terms. That does not mean the card works like a physical Chinese debit card you receive at a branch. It is a prepaid payment service accessed through Alipay, and it remains subject to the provider's compliance and eligibility review.
The official terms describe use in the People's Republic of China excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. If your itinerary includes those destinations, check the relevant local payment solution separately instead of assuming one mainland setup covers the whole trip.
Costs and risks to check before loading
The headline question is not just “Is there a fee?” It is “What will the complete payment path cost?” Before you top up, inspect the exchange rate and card-network conversion; any top-up, service, or foreign-transaction charge; current limits; whether refunds return automatically and in which currency; how long refunds may take; and what support channel is available if verification fails.
Is it worth it for a tourist?
Usually, start with direct card linking. It is easier to understand and avoids pre-loading money you may not use. Consider TourCard/Tour Pass only when you can see it in the app, its terms fit your trip, and you value the ability to isolate a fixed RMB spending budget.
Whichever route you choose, set it up before a high-pressure moment such as an airport taxi, late-night arrival, or restaurant queue. Payment preparation is much smoother when you can solve an issue over hotel Wi-Fi rather than at a counter.
Research questions before choosing a payment route
Reader perspective
- Can I link my existing card directly, or does my own app show TourCard/Tour Pass?
- Do I need a prepaid RMB budget, or would direct card payments be easier to track?
- What backup payment method will I carry for the first 24 hours?
- Does my itinerary include Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan, where mainland arrangements may not apply?
SEO / People Also Ask perspective
- Can foreigners use Alipay without a Chinese bank account?
- What is Alipay TourCard, and is it the same as Tour Pass?
- Can I get unused TourCard money refunded to my foreign card?
- Which international cards can be linked to Alipay?
Differentiation perspective
- What is the all-in cost after exchange rates, card fees, top-ups, and any refund conversion?
- Is the feature actually available to my account today, rather than merely mentioned in an older guide?
- What happens if identity verification or a payment fails while I am already in China?
Bottom line
TourCard/Tour Pass is a real prepaid option associated with Bank of Shanghai, not a requirement for visiting China. For most tourists, direct Alipay card linking is the sensible first attempt. Choose the prepaid route only after reading the live terms in your app and deciding that its budgeting and refund trade-offs genuinely help your trip.
Related reading: Alipay for Tourists 2026: Setup, Link Cards, Pay Everywhere and Alipay vs WeChat Pay for Tourists.