Book a Gulangyu ferry with a foreign passport

You can try the official Alipay route before reaching China: Xiamen Ferry accepts foreign passports through a real-name-verified Alipay account. The operator does not promise that every overseas phone number, verification attempt or linked card will work. If yours fails, take your passport to a staffed tourist ticket counter in Xiamen; seats remain subject to availability.

Overseas, foreign passport, no China number

1. Open Alipay and search 屿见厦门轮渡. Select the official Xiamen Ferry service. The operator also identifies its WeChat account as xmferry; its desktop website currently provides information rather than ticket sales.
2. Use your verified Alipay account to register/sign in. Add the traveller, select 其他证件类型 (other document type), and enter the passport details accurately. Use your own passport, not a hotel employee’s identity.
3. Select the outbound date, departure terminal and sailing. Check the total and passenger details before paying. Save the successful order and its boarding instructions; a debit notification alone does not establish that you have a usable ticket.

This is the operator’s published foreign-passport method, not a requirement to obtain a mainland number first. If the service blocks your account or phone, use the counter route below instead of repeatedly submitting payments.

When to book

Since 1 February 2026, the tourist presale window is 15 days including today, replacing the old ten-day rule. For example, 13 September falls within a 27 September departure’s 15-day window. The FAQ says the new date opens at 09:00 China time and the mini-program purchase service runs 05:30–23:59. A date being on sale does not mean seats remain. 2026 presale notice.

Choose the correct tourist terminal

Trip: Daytime default

Departure to enter or show a driver: 东渡客运码头，厦门市湖里区东港路2号。Dongdu Passenger Terminal, 2 Donggang Road, Huli District.

Island arrival / published standard fare: 三丘田码头 (Sanqiutian) or 内厝澳码头 (Neicuoao). The counter FAQ lists an ordinary tourist ticket at RMB 35; premium sailings cost more.

Trip: Night tourist service

Departure to enter or show a driver: 厦门轮渡码头2号厅，厦门市思明区鹭江道15号。Xiamen Ferry Terminal, Hall 2, 15 Lujiang Road, Siming District.

Island arrival / published standard fare: 三丘田码头 (Sanqiutian). The FAQ lists RMB 35; this is a different departure terminal from Dongdu.

Check the terminal on the actual order before travelling. The operator’s terminal guide recommends arriving one hour before departure for security and boarding. At the gate use the passport booked; if it cannot be read, take the order and original passport to the staffed counter for verification.

If overseas booking fails

1. If no payment was taken, make one check for an existing unpaid order before starting again. If verification still fails, stop and plan a counter purchase after arriving in Xiamen.
2. If money was taken but the order is unpaid or cancelled, retain the order number, payment record and error screen. Ask Xiamen Ferry to reconcile that transaction before paying again: +86 592 3372020, published hours 08:00–20:30 China time. Do not rely on a fixed refund time.
3. For a daytime attempt, go to Dongdu’s staffed ticket counter with the original passport. Its published window is 06:40–17:25 in October–May and 06:40–18:25 in June–September. Ask for a later available tourist sailing if your first choice has sold out.
4. If considering the night route, confirm that service and the correct Hall 2 first. The FAQ’s staffed night counter hours end at 22:00 even though night boats run later. If you cannot obtain a valid ticket or the counter is closed, keep a mainland Xiamen night and move the island visit to a later date. A counter does not bypass a sold-out sailing or weather closure.

中文购票卡：我持外国护照，没有中国大陆手机号。请帮我查询去鼓浪屿的游客船票，日期是［日期］。如果这班满了，请查询今天下一班；我可以接受的最晚出发时间是［时间］。请先告诉我出发码头、票价和护照检票方式，再出票。

English: I have a foreign passport and no mainland Chinese phone number. Please check a tourist ferry to Gulangyu on [date]. If that sailing is full, check the next one today; my latest acceptable departure is [time]. Please confirm the departure terminal, fare and passport boarding method before issuing it.

If you miss a booked sailing

For individual tickets, the rule effective 1 September 2026 allows one change after departure, requested before 24:00 that day, to a sailing with seats within the presale period. Changing to the same date costs 20% of the ticket fare; changing to another date costs 30%. A ticket changed after departure cannot then be refunded or changed again. Open the original order’s 改签 (change) option; if it cannot handle the passport/order, use the staffed counter during its hours or the operator’s support number. Current change notice.

If the ferry operator cancels service, follow that cancellation’s official notice and contact the original seller; do not treat it as your own missed sailing. Reaching a different terminal does not overcome a suspension.

Keep the return usable

The ordinary tourist purchase includes one return within 20 days using a valid boarding credential. Return tourist services can leave from Sanqiutian or Neicuoao without reserving a particular sailing. Check the mainland destination before boarding: a late return may reach Xiamen Ferry Terminal rather than Dongdu. Keep the passport and ticket/order until you are back. Operator ticket FAQ.

Checked 13 September 2026. Your account acceptance, remaining seats, weather and the exact sailing shown in the booking system still need checking for your trip.