Set up payments, maps and transport before entering mainland China
Mainland China uses a distinct app ecosystem, and access to many foreign internet services is restricted on local networks.
Install and verify key apps before departure, but do not assume every Western app is unusable: access depends on the service and connection, while foreign roaming may behave differently from local Wi-Fi. Link at least two foreign cards to Alipay or Weixin Pay, keep some renminbi cash, and retain the phone number used for verification. Passport names must match bookings exactly. Hong Kong and Macao have separate immigration, payment and transport systems.
Since November 20, 2025, eligible arrivals can submit China’s free arrival card through official NIA channels before travel. Hotels register foreign guests, while travelers staying in private accommodation must follow the local registration process.
English-language car and taxi booking across mainland cities with overseas numbers and international cards.
Visitor-friendly QR payments plus transport, DiDi and government mini programs using supported foreign cards.
The standard way to message mainland hotels, guides, drivers, restaurants and personal contacts.
Multilingual mainland maps for walking, driving, cycling, public transport and local place search.
Messaging, Weixin Pay and mini programs for local businesses, attractions and transport in mainland China.
Multilingual hotels, transport, tours and attraction bookings that accept foreign passports and international cards.
Offline Simplified Chinese text and camera translation when the language pack is downloaded before travel.
Offline Chinese-English dictionaries with character, pinyin, handwriting and pronunciation lookup.
China Railway's official direct booking platform for mainland train tickets using a passport as the travel credential.
Multilingual booking for Chinese trains, domestic flights, hotels and transfers using international cards.
Reliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
The Great Firewall is the headline issue: a Chinese SIM routes through the domestic internet, so Google, Gmail, Google Maps, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are blocked unless you have a VPN, and VPN apps are far easier to install before you arrive than after. Also, prepaid tourist SIMs expire at the end of their validity period, and topping up generally requires WeChat Pay or a carrier mini-program.
The most foreigner-friendly carrier, with tourist plans and the best-documented English support. The usual first pick for city trips.
The largest network, with the best rural and remote coverage (Tibet, Yunnan, Xinjiang) at a slightly higher cost.
The third option, with occasionally competitive tourist packages.
The essential apps for China are DiDi China, Alipay, WeChat, AMap Global, Trip.com.
We've curated 13 apps across 12 categories for traveling in China, including 8 essential apps.
DiDi China is the top-rated ride hailing app in China. English-language car and taxi booking across mainland cities with overseas numbers and international cards.
Use Octopus to pay, Citymapper to travel, and MyObservatory for official weather warnings
Rail-first travel, flexible IC cards, official Shinkansen booking, and disaster alerts
Use Naver Map, visitor-ready taxi and dining apps, and a separate transit balance
Official bus tracking, metered taxis and typhoon alerts for Macau
Cash, a physical EasyCard and a few well-chosen apps cover most trips
