Check the route, not just the nationality
Ordinary visa-free entry, bilateral agreements and visa-free transit are different rules. A transit itinerary must meet its own onward-travel, port and permitted-area conditions.
Travel essentials
Set up the things your first day depends on.
Confirm your entry rule against your passport and route.
Save your hotel and first destination in Chinese.
Set up mobile data, then test the offline folder.
Verify exact stations and carry the booking passport.
Prepare two independent ways to pay.
Save an emergency contact and your location.
Editorial draft updated 27 September 2026. Rules, access and app steps can change; linked primary sources govern.
01 / BEFORE CHINA
Visas & entry
Determine the rule for your exact passport, route, purpose and length of stay before paying for non-refundable travel.
Keep the evidence close
Save your passport details, onward ticket, accommodation address and the official page that supports your entry route. Hong Kong and Macao have separate entry arrangements.
Recheck before departure
Eligibility lists and permitted ports change. Use the National Immigration Administration and the relevant embassy or consulate for your date.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If eligibility is unclear, do not rely on a travel blog or a country picker alone. Ask the relevant Chinese visa authority before booking.
02 / BEFORE CHINA
Mobile data & eSIM
A working connection on arrival is useful for payment, maps and your first transfer. Plan an offline backup as well.
Check the handset
Confirm whether your phone supports eSIM, whether it is unlocked and whether the plan includes mainland China. Many travel data eSIMs do not supply a local +86 number.
Decide whether you need a local SIM
A local number can be useful for services that require SMS. Bring your passport to a telecom operator service office for a local SIM, and compare data limits.
Download the arrival folder
Save the hotel address in Chinese, first transfer and booking confirmations before takeoff. Test the files in airplane mode.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If mobile data fails, use a trusted airport or hotel connection for setup and keep the hotel address available offline.
CHECK AT SOURCEChinese government guide · SIM cards for foreign visitors
03 / BEFORE CHINA
Internet access & VPNs
Some familiar services may be unavailable on a mainland connection. Make access decisions before travel without assuming a particular workaround will work.
Identify essential services
List the messaging, maps, email, banking and authentication services you truly need. Save a second way to contact travel companions.
Know the local rules
China controls internet access and some services are blocked. Rules for online services and VPN products are jurisdiction-specific; review current official and consular advice.
Keep an offline fallback
Download tickets, addresses and key Chinese phrases. Do not depend on one cloud account to retrieve every document.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If an app is inaccessible, switch to your downloaded documents and a local map or service that works on your current connection.
CHECK AT SOURCEUK FCDO · China internet access and safety
04 / BEFORE CHINA
Alipay & payments
Set up one mobile wallet before departure, then keep a second payment method available.
Register and test
Install the official app, complete the prompts for your account and link an eligible bank card. Card verification depends on your issuer and payment product.
Recognise both QR flows
At checkout, the merchant may scan your payment code or ask you to scan theirs. Confirm the amount before approving.
Carry a fallback
Keep another accepted card and some RMB cash. Acceptance, limits and fees vary by product and merchant.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If a card fails to bind or a payment is declined, consult the issuer or payment app and use another accepted method; do not assume all foreign cards work everywhere.
05 / BEFORE CHINA
WeChat & Weixin Pay
WeChat can help with messaging, service accounts and payments, but you can travel without putting every reservation in one app.
Set up the account early
Check your phone number, sign-in and bank-card setup before departure. Some services are embedded in mini programs rather than a standalone website.
Keep confirmations outside chat
Save tickets and booking numbers as files or screenshots. You may need to show the original passport used for booking.
Use a second payment method
Weixin Pay acceptance and foreign-card limits depend on current product rules; carry an independent backup.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If a mini program rejects a non-mainland number, look for an official international web channel, a staffed counter or an alternative operator.
CHECK AT SOURCEChinese government guide · WeChat, payment and transport
06 / BEFORE CHINA
Maps & Chinese place names
The right Chinese name is often more useful on the ground than a long English description.
Search a precise destination
Use the Chinese name of the exact entrance, station or terminal, not just the attraction. Save it before leaving your accommodation.
Separate a pin from permission
A map result does not confirm a ticketed gate, pedestrian route or legal vehicle stop. Check posted signs and staff instructions.
Test the last kilometre
Open your destination in the map service you will actually use and check the walking approach and last transit service.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If English search returns several similar places, show a Chinese card to staff and compare the address or district before travelling.
CHECK AT SOURCEChinese government guide · local transport
07 / BEFORE CHINA
Didi & taxis
A ride is simplest when your pickup point, destination and payment method are already clear.
Set up before the first ride
Government visitor guidance describes Didi registration with overseas numbers and international cards, and ride-hailing within Alipay or WeChat. Check the current app flow.
Confirm the pickup pin
Airports, stations and museums may have designated pickup areas. A destination address is not automatically a permitted drop-off point.
Match the car and driver
Check the plate and trip shown in the app before entering. Keep the Chinese destination visible if asking a street taxi.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If the pickup is restricted, move to the signed pickup zone or ask staff for the legal taxi stand; do not direct a driver to a pedestrian-only gate.
CHECK AT SOURCEChinese government guide · ride-hailing
08 / BEFORE CHINA
High-speed rail & 12306
The three most important facts are the exact station, the original ID document and enough time to reach the platform.
Set up the passenger record
Use the official 12306 English site or app. Foreign travellers can register with a passport; identity verification may be automatic, require an upload, or need help at a station counter.
Read both station names
Beijing South is not Beijing West; Shanghai Hongqiao is not Shanghai Railway Station; Xi’an North is not Xi’an Railway Station. Copy the Chinese station name and train number.
Carry the booked document
Bring the original passport used for the ticket. Allow time for security and for a manual document check where necessary.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If online verification or payment fails, the official guidance also describes station ticket counters. Reconfirm seat and departure station before leaving.
09 / BEFORE CHINA
Airports & arrival
Use airport codes, terminal and ground-transport pickup points as separate decisions.
Copy the code from the ticket
Beijing Capital (PEK) and Beijing Daxing (PKX) are different airports. Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA) are different airports.
Check the terminal and arrival time
Plan immigration, baggage, cash or data setup, and transfer to accommodation before fixing a same-day sightseeing slot.
Plan the last leg
Shanghai has an Airport Link between Hongqiao and Pudong. Compare the current operator timetable with metro and taxi options for your terminal and luggage.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If your arrival is late or disrupted, use the airport’s signed taxi or rail facilities and keep the hotel address in Chinese.
CHECK AT SOURCEShanghai airport transport · municipal guidance
10 / BEFORE CHINA
Language & translation
A small number of precise written phrases is more useful than memorising a long list on the flight.
Save the nouns
Keep your hotel, station, entrance and food needs in Chinese characters. Pronunciation help is secondary to showing the exact text.
Use short questions
Ask one thing at a time, for example whether this is the correct entrance or whether a dish contains a specific allergen.
Check the answer
Machine translation can miss ingredients, negation or a station suffix. Repeat the destination and point to the written Chinese.
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If you cannot resolve an important safety or allergy question, pause and find staff who can confirm it reliably.
CHECK AT SOURCEChinese government visitor service guide
11 / BEFORE CHINA
Health, safety & emergencies
Save the correct number, your location in Chinese and your insurance contact before you need them.
Use the right number
Police 110, fire 119 and ambulance 120 are listed in official visitor guidance. State the address or show it to someone who can help call.
Keep identity and help details
Carry your passport details, accommodation address, insurance contact and embassy or consulate contact in an offline folder.
Report a lost passport
Report the loss to the local police and contact your embassy or consulate for a replacement document and onward travel steps.
Planning medical care in China? Read the full guide →
WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK
If you cannot communicate by phone, ask hotel, station or venue staff to call while showing your written location and the relevant emergency card.
Getting around
For the journey between places, use the map, taxi, train and airport chapters above. A ticket’s station or terminal matters more than a generic city name.
Local language
Use the language chapter and the Chinese cards below. Ask permission before photographing people and follow on-site rules in museums and temples.
Words you can use on the ground.
These are short, general-purpose cards. Replace “this place” with the precise Chinese name or address from your booking, ticket or city page. Use your browser’s print dialog to save the cards as a PDF, or screenshot them before going offline.
01Show a place
请问这个地方怎么走？Could you tell me how to get to this place?
Show the specific Chinese destination below this sentence.02Order food
请问这道菜里有什么？What ingredients are in this dish?
For a serious allergy, use a professionally checked allergy card; this general question is not enough.03In a taxi
请带我去这个地址。请在允许停车的地方下客。Please take me to this address and stop where drop-off is permitted.
Show your exact hotel or venue address separately.04At the station
请问这是去这趟列车的检票口吗？Is this the ticket-check gate for my train?
Show your train number, departure time and the original passport used to book.05Hotel check-in
我有预订。这是我的护照和预订确认。I have a reservation. Here are my passport and booking confirmation.
Check the name and dates on the booking.06Ask for help
请帮我报警／叫救护车。我的位置在这里。Please help me call the police / an ambulance. My location is here.
Police 110 · Ambulance 120 · Fire 119. Show the exact address.07Useful everyday phrase
请说慢一点，或者写下来。谢谢。Please speak more slowly or write it down. Thank you.
Keep the conversation short and confirm a number or place name in writing.Emergency numbers and service procedures were checked against the linked official guides. Cards do not make a reservation or confirm a legal pickup point.
Ready for the first city?
Start with our detailed English field editions for Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an. Then use the itinerary planner to arrange city days and transfers around your dates.