How to get and use a UnionPay card in Sri Lanka

From messages by 2 participants in 1 source · Last activity: 68 days ago

TL;DR

Not all banks issue UnionPay cards, some require a deposit of around $50, and paying by card is usually better than exchanging cash with tuk-tuk drivers, whose rates are worse than banks.

What the community said

Not every bank in Sri Lanka issues UnionPay cards, so it's worth calling ahead or checking the bank's website before visiting a branch to confirm they support this payment system.

Exchanging cash through tuk-tuk drivers gives a worse rate than banks, so it's better to pay by UnionPay card almost everywhere and withdraw cash directly from ATMs when needed.

Tuk-tuk rate worse than bank rate

When applying for a UnionPay card at a bank branch, staff sometimes ask for a deposit of about $50, but in other cases the card is issued right away without any payment, leaving the customer to figure out transferring money onto it themselves.

~$50 deposit