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Your China Travel OS
一站规划，畅行中国 — 从签证到支付，从机场到酒店
Visa, payments, apps, packing — everything you need before boarding the plane.
Airport, taxi, metro, hotel, food — real-time answers for your first 24 hours.
Quick Actions
Don't read a blog. Solve a problem. Tap what you need.
Alipay & WeChat Pay with foreign cards
eSIM vs SIM for foreigners in 2026
Didi app guide & payment tips
12306 & Trip.com walkthrough
Download links & setup guides
Foreigner-friendly booking guide
Meituan, QR menus, no Chinese needed
Numbers, phrases, procedures
Before You Fly
Complete these before boarding. Tap items to mark done.
First 24 Hours
Follow these steps from airport exit to hotel check-in.
Have passport + hotel confirmation ready. Visa-free: fill arrival card. Keep the departure portion.
Airport SIM counters (China Unicom/Mobile) or activate eSIM. You'll need data for maps and payments.
Maglev (Shanghai), Airport Express (Beijing), or Didi taxi. Have hotel address in Chinese. ¥25-200.
Hotels auto-register foreigners with police. Bring passport. Some budget hotels can't accept foreigners.
Link Visa/Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay. Verify with passport + face scan. Use hotel WiFi.
Meituan or Ele.me for delivery. Or scan QR at restaurant. Most menus have pictures. Point and pay.
Toolbox
Quick utilities. No downloads needed.
Real-time CNY rates
One-tap dial numbers
Interactive city maps
Trip cost estimator
Chinese with pronunciation
AQI & disaster alerts
Translate for taxi drivers
Customizable checklist
Money Matters
China is 80% cashless. Here's how to join the system.
Get Alipay from App Store/Google Play. Sign up with email or foreign phone. Choose international version if prompted.
Me → Bank Cards → Add Card. Enter Visa/Mastercard. Upload passport photo + face scan. Approval: instant to 24h.
Search "TourCard" in Alipay. Prepaid card by Bank of Shanghai. Top up with foreign card (5% fee). Works everywhere.
Scan merchant QR → enter amount → confirm. Or show your payment code → merchant scans you. Use method 2 at supermarkets.
Best for: Foreign cards, online shopping, hotels.
Watch out: Small vendors may not accept intl cards. Carry ¥200 backup.
Download WeChat (Weixin). Register with foreign phone. It's also China's WhatsApp for messaging.
Me → Services → Wallet → Bank Cards → Add Card. Link Visa/Mastercard. Verify with passport + face scan.
≤¥200: FREE. Above ¥200: 3% fee. New users: 3% waived under ¥1,000/day for 60 days. Monthly: ¥50,000. Annual: ¥60,000-65,000.
Tap + → Scan for merchant QR. Or Me → Services → Money to show your code. Also works for metro/bus via mini-programs.
Common issue: If verification fails, check lighting for face scan, clear passport photo, and exact name match between card and passport.
China is cashless but not cash-free. Street food, rural areas, some taxis prefer cash. ATMs everywhere. Bring ¥2,000-3,000 backup.
Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB accepted at major hotels and malls. Small shops don't take cards. Always have mobile pay ready.
Airports, hotels, banks exchange currency. Bring passport. Airport rates are worse — exchange just enough for day one.
Pro tip: Carry small bills (¥10, ¥20, ¥50). Many vendors can't break ¥100 early morning. Check your change.
If one fails, switch. Alipay more reliable for foreign cards. WeChat Pay better if you already use it for messaging.
Download and start verification at home. SMS works better with home number. Some steps need stable WiFi.
Buy water (¥2-3) first. If it works, you're good. If not, troubleshoot on hotel WiFi before big purchases.
Never scan a QR someone sends you to "receive money." Only scan merchant QR codes at the register.
Red flag: If someone asks you to scan THEIR phone to pay, refuse. Always scan the merchant's displayed QR, or they scan your code.
Getting Around
Metro, high-speed rail, taxi. Know before you go.
Stay Safe
Hope you never need this. One tap away if you do.
Theft, assault, emergencies
Medical emergency
Fire, rescue, elevator
Car crash, dispute
Lost passport, legal
Complaints, help
Lost passport? Go to police station (bring copies), then contact embassy. 12308 guides in English. Hospital tip: Major cities have international departments. Bring cash or mobile pay.