Everything You Need Before You Land
Visa, payment apps, eSIM, transport, banking, Mandarin survival phrases, cultural etiquette — the things nobody tells you until you're already at the airport. Sorted, in plain English.
The single biggest question for first-time visitors. China has aggressively expanded visa-free entry over the past two years — many travelers no longer need to apply in advance. Here's how it works in 2026.
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, plus most ASEAN and GCC countries. (2024 policy expansion.)
Japan, South Korea (tourist groups). Several South American and Balkan countries also qualify.
If you have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country, you can transit through most major Chinese airports for up to 10 days without a visa.
L visa = tourist, most common. M visa = business/trade. F visa = exchange/visit. Tourist groups can also apply for a group visa through an authorised travel agency.
Valid passport (6+ months validity, 1 blank page), completed application form, recent passport photo, round-trip flight booking, hotel reservation for at least the first nights, and (for some nationalities) an invitation letter or travel itinerary.
In most countries you book an appointment online. Processing typically takes 4–7 working days; express service available for extra fee. Some cities use an outsourced visa centre (e.g. CVASC, VFS).
Verify the number of entries (single/double/multiple), duration of stay, and validity dates BEFORE you travel. Errors are common and must be fixed before departure.
Hotels register foreign guests with the local police bureau automatically — your passport is scanned at check-in. Staying with friends? The host must register you within 24 hours.
China is the world's largest QR-code-payment economy. Cash still works in some places, but you'll struggle at small restaurants, DiDi rides, ticket counters, and street vendors without a mobile wallet. The good news: foreigners can now link Visa, Mastercard, and Amex cards to both Alipay and WeChat Pay directly from the app.
The original mobile-pay app. Now fully supports foreign cards.
Built into WeChat. Works alongside messaging — most Chinese people prefer it.
Install Alipay from the App Store or Google Play. Use your foreign mobile number — country code prefix required (e.g. +1, +44, +61).
On the home screen, look for the yellow "Tour Pass" card, OR navigate to Me → Bank Cards → Add Card. Tour Pass is pre-validated for foreign users.
Card number, expiry, CVV, billing address (use your home address). Your bank may send a 3-D Secure verification — approve it on your banking app.
If using Tour Pass, top up between ¥100 and ¥3,000. The balance can be refunded back to your card at end of trip. If using direct card linking, no top-up needed.
Scan the merchant's QR code (most common), OR show your own payment code for them to scan. Both work. Apple Watch support added in 2024.
Install these before leaving home. Most require a Chinese phone number for full functionality — buy a SIM/eSIM on arrival, then activate. Some (Alipay, WeChat, Trip.com) work with foreign numbers.
Messaging, social, payments. The single most important app. Foreign phone numbers work for signup.
iOS · Android
Mobile payments, taxi, food delivery, ticket booking. Foreign cards supported.
iOS · Android
China's Uber. English interface, accepts foreign cards, lets you pay with foreign cards on the app.
iOS · Android
Flights, hotels, train tickets, attraction tickets. English-friendly, foreign cards accepted, the de-facto booking app.
iOS · Android
The best English-language map app that works inside mainland China. Apple Maps is not blocked.
iOS only
Download Chinese offline pack before you leave home. Camera mode translates menus and street signs instantly.
iOS · Android
Food delivery, restaurant booking, attraction tickets, hotel deals. Some English support; better in Chinese.
iOS · Android
Official China Railway booking app. Foreign passport registration now supported (with quirks — see transport section).
iOS · Android
Offline subway maps for Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen. Best English-language metro planners.
iOS · Android
The gold-standard Chinese dictionary app. Handwriting input, audio, OCR for reading Chinese menus.
iOS · Android
You'll need a Chinese number for almost every app above (except Alipay/WeChat which accept foreign numbers). Three options — choose based on trip length.
Buy online before flying. Instant activation. Top brands: Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, China Unicom eSIM.
Pick up at the airport or any carrier store. Cheap and reliable.
A portable hotspot device. Useful for groups or business travellers.
The transport network is excellent. In any tier-1 city you can reach 95% of places by subway + DiDi. Between cities, high-speed rail beats flying for distances under 1,500 km.
China's HSR network spans 40,000+ km — the world's largest. Trains run up to 350 km/h. Beijing ⇄ Shanghai in 4.5 hours, Beijing ⇄ Xi'an in 4.5 hours, Shanghai ⇄ Hangzhou in 1 hour.
Trip.com (foreign-friendly, English UI), China Railway 12306 (official, has passport registration but UI in Chinese), or at the station.
Second class (二等座, default), First class (一等座), Business class (商务座). Second class is fine for almost everyone.
Bring your passport. Security check + ticket/passport gate before platform. Allow 30+ minutes for first time.
Most major cities have multiple stations — North, South, East, West. Pick the one closest to your hotel.
Every tier-1 city has one. English signage everywhere. Buy single tickets at kiosks, or scan your Alipay/WeChat QR at the gate. ¥3–10 per ride.
China's Uber. Set pickup location, destination, payment method. Foreign cards work. Surge pricing during rush hour.
Cheap (¥1–3) but slow and Chinese-only signage. Good for short hops. Pay with Alipay QR.
Meituan (yellow) and Hellobike (blue) — scan QR with the app to unlock. ¥1.5/15 min. Wonderful for short distances.
For distances over 1,500 km (e.g. Beijing ⇄ Guangzhou, Shanghai ⇄ Chengdu), flying wins on time. Domestic carriers: Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, Spring Airlines. Book on Trip.com — much easier than local sites.
The official currency is the Renminbi (RMB), often written as CNY or simply ¥. Banknotes come in ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, ¥100. Coins for ¥1, ¥5.
UnionPay works everywhere. Visa/Mastercard work in hotels, large restaurants, chain stores, and via Alipay/WeChat. American Express limited but growing.
Still required at street vendors, rural shops, taxis (sometimes), and temples. Carry ¥200–500 as backup. Tips are not expected.
Bank of China and ICBC ATMs accept foreign Visa/Mastercard. Daily limit typically ¥2,500. Fee ¥10–30 + your bank's foreign ATM fee.
Exchange at the airport (lower rates but 24/7), or at Bank of China branches downtown. Hotels and tourist-area counters give worse rates.
China is statistically one of the safest countries for tourists. Violent crime against foreigners is extremely rare. The main risks are petty theft (rare), traffic (watch for scooters), and food/water hygiene.
Mandarin is tonal, which means the same syllable spoken differently means something else. Don't worry about tones at first — even badly pronounced Mandarin makes people happy to help you. Pinyin (the romanisation) is below each phrase so you can sound it out.
A few things are different from the West. None will get you in trouble if you get them wrong, but knowing them makes the trip smoother.
Don't stick them upright in rice (resembles funeral incense). Don't tap bowls with them (beggars' gesture). Rest them on the holder or across the bowl.
At business dinners, expect toasts. Return the gesture. "干杯" literally means "dry the cup" — bottoms up. Tap your glass lower than the elder/senior's to show respect.
Not a custom. Don't tip at restaurants, taxis, or hotels. Service charge is sometimes included. Some upscale restaurants now accept tips via QR code — only if you want to.
Expected at markets (silk, pearls, antiques, knock-offs). Start at 30–50% of asking price and negotiate up. Department stores and chain stores have fixed prices.
Avoid photographing military, police, customs, and airport facilities. Many museums ban flash and tripods. Drones require registration if over 250g.
Restaurants open late (dinner 6:30–9pm). Shops stay open 9am–10pm. Things feel rushed, but locals are friendly — if you need help, ask young people first.
