Maps and navigation for getting around, curated for travelers visiting China.
AMap Global, also called Gaode Maps, is the most practical standalone map for a visitor.
Multilingual mainland maps for walking, driving, cycling, public transport and local place search.
The current international interface supports English and other languages and provides walking, driving, cycling and public transport routes with mainland map and place data. Google Maps is a poor primary map in mainland China because its local place data can be incomplete or stale and its service access is restricted on local networks. Baidu Maps has deep coverage but remains designed mainly for Chinese readers, so it is not a useful extra install for most short visits. Search quality is AMap's main limitation: translated attraction names often work, but small hotels, restaurants and entrances may only resolve from Chinese characters.
Copy the Chinese name and address from your booking, Dianping or the venue's official account. Recent travelers also report that some route and place features behave differently while the phone is outside mainland China, so build and test critical routes after arrival and save screenshots. Apple Maps can be a workable built-in fallback on iPhone, but it is not an additional app recommendation. For taxi pickups, station entrances and large attractions, verify the exact gate or numbered meeting point rather than navigating only to the site's general pin.
AMap Global is the top-rated navigation app in China. Multilingual mainland maps for walking, driving, cycling, public transport and local place search.
Bento recommends one navigation app in China, checked in 2026.
These apps need data
Guac eSIM covers China with plans from $0.58 per GB. Install it before you land and activate instantly.
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
