Macau
Official bus tracking, metered taxis and typhoon alerts for Macau
Macau is compact, but its transport and payment setup is easy to misread.
The essentials
What to know before you go to Macau
Uber returned in February 2026 only as a dispatcher for licensed, metered taxis; MAAS PLUS is the local radio-taxi alternative, and official ranks remain useful. For buses, use DSAT's Bus Traveling System and pay with exact MOP 6 cash or a physical Macau Pass. There is no universal foreign bank-card tap, and the new bus QR support applies to specified mainland Chinese and Hong Kong wallet versions, not every international Alipay or WeChat account. A short-stay visitor does not need MPay.
Cards work well at larger businesses, while pataca cash remains important for buses, small merchants and taxi backups. Hong Kong dollars are widely accepted, often at a simple one-to-one merchant rate with change in patacas, which is less favorable than the official currency relationship. From May to November, follow official weather warnings. At Typhoon Signal No.
8 or above, public transport and many services suspend, so stay inside and follow the Macao Civil Protection Info app, Macao Weather and your accommodation. Check immigration separately for Macau and for any onward entry to Hong Kong or mainland China.
Ride Hailing
UberEssential
The easiest visitor-facing app for dispatching licensed, metered taxis across Macau using an existing Uber account.
MAAS PLUS
The renamed Macau Radio Taxi app for requesting licensed local taxis and viewing the assigned vehicle.
Food Delivery
mFoodEssential
Macau's most practical visitor-facing local app for restaurant meals, takeaway and selected everyday deliveries.
Messaging
A useful optional channel when a Macau accommodation, guide, restaurant or mainland-Chinese contact specifically requests it.
Navigation
AMap GlobalEssential
The most detailed current general map for Macau, with multilingual navigation, local places and live transport information.
Experience Macao
The official tourism app for attractions, walking routes, events, visitor-flow information and downloadable offline data.
Transit
Bus Traveling SystemEssential
DSAT's focused official app for Macau bus routes, stops and real-time vehicle arrivals in four languages.
Macao Smart Go
DSAT's broader transport planner combining buses, taxis, walking, LRT, traffic, parking and visitor information.
Language
Google Translate
An optional camera and text translator for Traditional Chinese and Portuguese menus, signs and short exchanges.
Intercity Transport
Macao Maritime Info
The official live reference for ferry-terminal arrivals, departures, sailing schedules, sea conditions and facilities.
Restaurants
OpenRiceEssential
The strongest local restaurant directory for Macau, with menus, reviews, price filters and booking at participating venues.
Utilities
Macao Civil Protection InfoEssential
Official civil-protection alerts, refuge locations, evacuation points, weather information and emergency guidance.
Macao Weather
The official detailed weather app for forecasts, observations, radar, tides and Macau or cross-border warnings.
Also covered
Internet in Macau
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- Bring your passport; the seller registers the prepaid SIM during activation.
- Airport counters and city carrier stores are the easiest places to buy; confirm activation before leaving.
Some mainland-owned carrier plans may filter internet services; choose another network if open access matters.
Local carriers
CTM
Best choice for broad coverage, including rural areas.
3 Macau
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
China Telecom Macau
Good-value option when price matters most.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in Macau?
The essential apps for Macau are Uber, mFood, AMap Global, Bus Traveling System, OpenRice.
How many travel apps does Macau have?
We've curated 14 apps across 10 categories for traveling in Macau, including 6 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in Macau?
Uber. The easiest visitor-facing app for dispatching licensed, metered taxis across Macau using an existing Uber account.
Keep exploring
Also traveling in East Asia?
Taiwan
Cash, a physical EasyCard and a few well-chosen apps cover most trips
China
Set up payments, maps and transport before entering mainland China
Hong Kong
Use Octopus to pay, Citymapper to travel, and MyObservatory for official weather warnings
Japan
Rail-first travel, flexible IC cards, official Shinkansen booking, and disaster alerts
South Korea
Use Naver Map, visitor-ready taxi and dining apps, and a separate transit balance