Shanghai Travel Forum

I am a Bk of America customer and would like to avoid ATM fees if I can. Their affiliate in China is the China Construction Bank, at whose ATMs there is no additional fee. Do they have an ATM at Pudong airport (international arrival)? I would like to get some local currency before heading into the city. Thanks.

Chico

There are ATMs everywhere in Shanghai. China construction bank has many of them. Is there one of that variety in the airpor, maybe, but it is better to take $100 in cash and exchange it at the airport. You may not get the best exchange, but the money in your pocket will buy you time to look around your hotel for the ATM you want to frequent.

I think I do remember an ATM of that, somewhere in Pudong airport.

You will probably cost yourself more in money terms than you will save. I have an Australian account and it cost me about USD4 to take out RMB2500 from an ATM.

Hi, I am not sure whether there is a China Construction Bank ATM at Pudong Airport, Shanghai, but it do has a branch of China Construction Bank there. Therefore, if you can not find a ATM there, you can try to the branch and get what you want, or just exchange some Chinese currency at the Bank of China, which I am sure do exist at every big airport. Hope this would help you!

It has been confirmed that there is no CCB ATM at Pudong airport. Therefore I now have a Fidelity Investments mySmart Cash account. Their ATM card works on all Visa, Plus, and Interlink ATMs around the globe, and they "refund" any and all ATM fees charged. To test the system I withdrew $100 locally, was debited $103 and immediately credited with $3 that same day. They have assured me this is true globally. Some other people out there may benefit from this.
Thanks for all the responses.

Chico

Strange, I thought I withdrew money a few times from a CCB ATM machine located somewhere between exits 5-8 on the arrival (ground) level at the Pudong airport (across from the lines of hotel accomodation counters). Visa has very stiff exchange rates so you save a few $ for ATM cost but pay a fortune for the exchange.

A friend in Shanghai actually called CCB and they said that they did not have an ATM at Pudong airport, Polartraveller. I am also not sure how you get a better exchange rate than Visa's wholesale rates. Granted they have have "enhanced' their rates compared to what they used to have, and charge 1% for themselves. If you know of a way to get a better rate please share the details with the rest of us. I have not seen anything better.
Thanks.

Chico

Can't say I ever get cash using any visa or other bank cards other than my HSBC ATM card. As long as I keep a certain level of deposit in my account I do not pay any bank transaction charges - worldwide.

Or I just take cash and my passport into the local bank to exchange for RMB (or some "selected" corner stores which do not even require my passport or any ID).

Perhaps got confused between Construction Bank and Communications Bank? Their logos do look quite similar.