China has become far easier for international visitors over the past two years. Visa-free entry now covers travelers from many countries, payment apps accept foreign cards, and major train stations and airports have English signs. Even so, a first trip still goes much more smoothly if you set a few things up at home rather than at the arrivals hall.
Here are nine practical steps worth finishing before your flight.
1. Check your entry route, not just “do I need a visa?”
There are now several ways to enter mainland China: a regular tourist visa, unilateral visa-free entry for eligible passports, and visa-free transit for travelers continuing to a third country. Each has its own conditions, permitted length of stay and list of eligible ports.
Read the current rules from the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country and your airline before booking non-refundable tickets. If you rely on visa-free transit, make sure your onward ticket really goes to a third country or region. Airlines check this at the departure gate, not just at Chinese immigration.
2. Set up a payment app at home
The biggest surprise for many visitors is how rarely people in Chinese cities pay with cash or cards. Small restaurants, taxis, convenience stores and ticket machines are all built around QR-code payments.
Both Alipay and WeChat Pay let visitors link an eligible foreign Visa or Mastercard, and Tencent’s TenPayGo offers a simpler payment-only option. Registration involves a phone number or email, identity checks and your bank’s verification, so it is much easier to finish while you still have your home SIM and Wi-Fi. If you are unsure which app to choose, this step-by-step guide to paying in China as a visitor compares the options, fees and backups.
Once you arrive, make a small purchase first, such as a bottle of water, before relying on the app for a hotel bill.
3. Still carry some cash and a second card
Phone payments are convenient, but they depend on battery, data and your bank approving each transaction. Keep a modest amount of RMB in small notes and, if possible, a second card from a different bank. Cash is legal tender everywhere, and it can save you when an app asks for a verification code you cannot receive.
4. Decide how you will stay online
Many services you use daily, including Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, WhatsApp and Instagram, do not work on ordinary mainland Chinese networks. Roaming with your home SIM or using an international travel eSIM usually routes your data through another country, so these services keep working.
At the same time, keep your original phone number able to receive SMS messages. Your bank and payment apps will often send verification codes to it, and a data-only eSIM cannot receive them.
5. Download the apps that replace your usual ones
A few local apps make independent travel much easier:
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Maps: Amap (Gaode) or Apple Maps, which uses local map data and works well in China. Google Maps is often inaccurate there.
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Taxis: DiDi has an English interface and is also available inside Alipay.
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Trains: The official Railway 12306 app has an English version and accepts foreign passports.
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Translation: An app that can translate camera images is useful for menus and signs.
Set them up and log in before you travel, while your connection is reliable.
6. Book trains with your passport details
China’s high-speed rail network is fast, punctual and often a better choice than flying between cities. Tickets are linked to your passport, so enter your name and passport number exactly as printed. At many stations you can scan your passport at the gate; at others you queue at a manual entrance, so allow extra time.
Popular routes sell out around public holidays such as Chinese New Year, the May Day holiday and the National Day week in early October. If your dates overlap, book as soon as sales open.
7. Confirm your hotel accepts foreign guests
Hotels must register foreign guests with the local police using their passport. Most international chains and larger hotels do this routinely, but a few small guesthouses are not set up for it. If a booking site does not clearly say foreigners are accepted, message the property before you arrive. Keep your passport with you whenever you check in.
8. Learn a few phrases and save key addresses in Chinese
English is common in airports and international hotels, but less so with taxi drivers or in small restaurants. Save your hotel’s name and address in Chinese characters on your phone so you can simply show it.
A handful of phrases go a long way: nǐ hǎo (hello), xièxie (thank you), duōshao qián? (how much?) and bù yào (I don’t want it). Locals are usually patient and appreciate the effort.
9. Pack for the practical details
Mainland China uses 220V electricity, and most sockets accept two-flat-pin (Type A) and angled three-pin (Type I) plugs. A universal adapter covers both.
Carry any regular medication in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription. Power banks must go in your carry-on, not checked luggage, and Chinese airlines and airports apply their own rules on capacity and certification markings, so check before you fly. Also save the emergency numbers: 110 for police, 120 for an ambulance and 119 for fire.
Final thoughts
Most problems first-time visitors run into in China are not about culture or language. They come from small logistics: an unverified payment app, a missing SMS code or a train ticket booked under the wrong passport details. Sort those out at home, and you can spend your trip enjoying the food, the cities and the landscapes instead of troubleshooting your phone.
For more practical, regularly updated advice on visas, payments, transport and destinations, China Revealed publishes free English-language guides for international visitors to China.
