Your practical guide to
traveling in China
Everything foreigners need to know — visa, payments, apps, transport, and more. Verified by real travelers, updated regularly.
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The questions foreign visitors ask about most — sort these before you fly.
Mobile Payment for Foreign Visitors (Alipay, WeChat Pay)
Foreign visitors can bind a Visa/Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay since the April 2024 PBOC policy. 0% fee under ¥200, 3% over, plus how to fix failed payments. Updated May 2026.
Verified Jul 17, 2026
China Visa & Entry Options for Tourists and Visitors
China visa and entry options in 2026: 30-day visa-free for 50 countries, 240-hour transit-free at 65 ports for US citizens, and the tourist L visa. Verify before booking.
Verified Jul 16, 2026
Why Did My Payment Fail in China? Troubleshooting for Foreigners (2026)
Why Alipay or WeChat Pay fails in China: a personal QR code, a VPN left on, the ¥200 3% surcharge, or an unverified account — and how to fix each. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 15, 2026
Travel Guides
View all →Accommodation for Foreign Visitors in China
Which hotels in China accept foreign passports, how to book foreigner-eligible stays on Trip.com or Agoda, pay with foreign cards, and do police registration.
Verified Jul 16, 2026
Which apps do foreign visitors actually need in China?
Which apps foreign visitors actually need in China: a service-by-service matrix of what needs its own app versus a WeChat/Alipay mini-program. The two-wallet minimum install set.
Verified Jul 20, 2026
Attraction Ticketing & Admissions in China
China attraction tickets: real-name passport entry, daily caps and time slots, and how early to book the Forbidden City, Great Wall, and pandas. Updated 2026.
Verified Jun 4, 2026
Do You Need a Chinese Phone Number? +86 for Foreigners in 2026
Do foreigners need a Chinese phone number? Usually no — even Luckin and KFC work via mini-programs. What still needs +86, and how to get a number. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 12, 2026
City Guides for Foreign Visitors
Foreigner-focused city guides for Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin and more — top sights, how many days to spend, best seasons, and getting around. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jul 20, 2026
Cultural Etiquette for Foreign Visitors
Practical etiquette for foreign visitors to China: tipping is not expected, queuing, dining customs, gift-giving, and avoiding common cultural faux pas. Updated May 2026.
Verified Jun 12, 2026
Leaving China — Departure & Home Country Customs
Leaving China: airport departure steps, home-country duty-free limits, prohibited exports like medicine and antiques, and what to declare. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 4, 2026
Emergency and Safety for Foreign Visitors
Staying safe in China as a foreigner: emergency numbers (110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire), common scams, lost-passport steps, and the 12345 English hotline.
Verified Jul 17, 2026
Food and Dining in China for Foreign Visitors
Order food in China without speaking Chinese: photo menus, camera translation, allergy phrases, delivery apps (Meituan, Ele.me), and regional cuisine basics.
Verified Jul 17, 2026
Foreign Exchange and Cash in China
Cash and currency in China for foreigners: ATM withdrawals, where foreign cards work, how much cash to carry, and the RMB 20,000 / USD 5,000 customs cash limit. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
Health and Medical Care for Foreign Visitors
Medical care in China for foreign visitors: international hospitals, paying with Alipay or WeChat, pharmacies, travel insurance, and altitude sickness.
Verified Jul 20, 2026
Internet Access and the Great Firewall for Foreign Visitors
What China's Great Firewall blocks (Google, WhatsApp, Instagram), which VPNs still work after the 2026 crackdown, and why a foreign eSIM bypasses it with no VPN. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jul 20, 2026
Language Barrier & Communication Strategies in China
Getting around China without Mandarin: which translation apps work with and without a VPN, camera translation, key phrases, and survival tactics. Updated 2026.
Verified Jun 4, 2026
Mini-Programs (WeChat & Alipay)
WeChat and Alipay mini-programs let foreigners do ride-hailing, food, metro and tickets — no app download, usually no +86 number, though a few services still need one.
Verified Jul 1, 2026
Residence Registration
Foreigners must register their China address within 24 hours of arrival — by the hotel, or at a police station (or online where available) for private stays. Updated July 2026.
Verified Jul 3, 2026
Shopping and Tax Refund for Foreign Visitors
China's tourist VAT refund: minimum ¥200 per store per day, the new instant in-store refund, eligible shops, and how to claim at the airport on departure. Updated May 2026.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
SIM Card and eSIM in China for Foreign Visitors
eSIM vs SIM vs roaming for China: which foreign eSIMs (Airalo, Holafly, Ubigi) bypass the firewall with no VPN as of June 2026, plus when you need a +86 number.
Verified Jul 1, 2026
Tibet Travel Permits and Altitude Health
Foreigners need a Tibet Travel Permit (not just a China visa), arranged through a registered tour — how to apply, costs, and altitude prep for Lhasa.
Verified Jul 1, 2026
Transportation in China
How to get around China: 12306 trains in English, metro multi-day passes (Beijing Yitongxing ¥20/3 days), foreign-card tap-to-ride, DiDi, and Amap. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
Trip Planning — Timing, Budget, Length, and Independent Travel
Planning a China trip: best seasons, how many days, what to pre-book versus buy same-day, sample itineraries, and daily budgets from Tier-1 to Tier-3 cities. Updated May 2026.
Verified Jul 16, 2026
VPN or eSIM for China? How to Get Online in 2026 (Decision Guide)
VPN or eSIM for China in 2026? A foreign eSIM bypasses the Great Firewall with no VPN; a Chinese SIM needs one. A visitor decision guide. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 4, 2026
Essential Apps
View all →12306 for Foreigners: Book China Train Tickets (2026)
How foreigners book China high-speed train tickets on 12306: passport registration, the English app, seat classes, e-ticket station entry, and refund rules. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
How to Set Up Alipay in China as a Foreigner (2026)
Set up Alipay as a foreigner: bind a foreign Visa or Mastercard with no Chinese bank account, passport verification, fees and limits, and Tour Pass. Updated July 2026.
Verified Jul 3, 2026
Amap for Foreigners: English Navigation in China (2026)
Amap (Gaode) is China's top navigation app and works where Google Maps does not: switch it to English, use offline maps, transit routing, and ride-hailing.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
Dianping (大众点评)
Dianping (大众点评) is China's Yelp — find top-rated restaurants by star rating, photo menus, and per-person price, no Chinese needed. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 4, 2026
How to Use DiDi in China for Foreigners (2026)
DiDi is China's ride-hailing app like Uber: sign up with a foreign number, pay via Alipay or WeChat, enter destinations without Chinese, or use within Alipay.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
Ele.me (Taobao Flash Purchase) for Foreigners (2026)
Taobao Flash Purchase (formerly Ele.me) is a major China food-delivery app: ordering flow for foreigners, in-app translation, Alipay payment, and address tips.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
Meituan for Foreigners: Food Delivery & Hotel Deals (2026)
Meituan is China's super-app for food delivery, hotels, and bike rental, often 20-30% cheaper than international OTAs — how foreigners register, pay, and order. Updated May 2026.
Verified Jun 9, 2026
TenPayGo: Tencent's Payment App for Foreign Visitors to China (2026)
TenPayGo is Tencent's new app for foreign visitors to China — email signup, link a foreign card or Apple Pay, pay at WeChat Pay merchants, no Chinese number needed.
Verified Jul 2, 2026
Trip.com (携程国际版)
Book China hotels, trains, flights, and attraction tickets on Trip.com — Ctrip's English app with foreign-card payment, no VPN needed. Updated June 2026.
Verified Jun 4, 2026
How to Use WeChat Pay in China as a Foreigner (2026)
WeChat is essential in China for messaging, payments, and mini-programs: how foreigners set up WeChat Pay, bind a foreign card, and use 2026 PayPal integration.
Verified Jul 3, 2026