First time in China?
Paying by phone, getting online, booking trains, getting through entry. Step-by-step answers to the questions first-time visitors ask most.
Questions travelers ask most
| Topic | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | How do I set up Alipay with a foreign card? | Answered |
| Internet & phone | Do I need a VPN, or will an eSIM do? | Answered |
| Trains & transport | How do I book high-speed train tickets? | Answered |
| Visa & entry | Can I visit China without a visa? | Answered |
| Hotels | Which hotels accept foreign guests? | Answered |
| Sights & tickets | How do I book Forbidden City tickets? | Answered |
Start with these
- 支付PaymentsHow to Set Up Alipay as a Foreigner (and Fix a Declined Card)Link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay before you fly, verify your passport, and sort out a declined card.
- 网络Internet & phoneDo You Need a VPN in China, or Will an eSIM Do?Why a travel eSIM usually keeps Google, WhatsApp and Instagram working in China without a VPN, and when it doesn't.
- 交通Trains & transportHow to Book China High-Speed Train Tickets as a ForeignerBooking on 12306 or Trip.com, what to do when 12306 won't verify your passport, and getting through the station.
Browse by topic
支付Payments
- How to Set Up Alipay as a Foreigner (and Fix a Declined Card)
- Do I Need Cash in China? How Much to Bring and Where to Get It
- Can I use Apple Pay or tap my card in China?
网络Internet & phone
- Should I buy a local SIM card at the airport?
交通Trains & transport
- How do I get from the airport to the city centre?
- How do I pay for the metro?
住宿Hotels
- Which area should I stay in on a first visit to Beijing or Shanghai?
景点Sights & tickets
- Mutianyu or Badaling: Which Great Wall Section Should You Visit?
- How to Book Forbidden City Tickets as a Foreigner
- When should I visit the Chengdu panda base?
Real questionsWe read what travelers ask on forums and under travel videos. The questions that keep coming up become guides.
Sources you can checkEach guide lists the pages we used for fees, rules and procedures, so you can check the details yourself.
Dated, and kept currentVisa and payment rules change often. Every guide shows when it was last checked, and the ones that change fastest are reviewed every month.
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