China Travel Checklist 2026: Everything to Prepare Before Your First Trip
A practical, first-timer-friendly setup plan for entry, payments, internet, transport and bookings.
In this guide
Check your entry eligibility on an official Chinese immigration or embassy website, then book transport and accommodation using the exact name and passport number printed in your passport. Before departure, prepare at least two ways to pay, a working internet plan, offline copies of essential addresses and one confirmed method for booking trains. Install the apps you intend to use while you can still receive verification messages. Policies and app screens change, so recheck high-risk items during the week before your flight.
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Your master China travel checklist
This list is deliberately shorter than the full guide. Use it as a final control sheet, then read the relevant section when an item is not ready.
Before you lock in the trip
Confirm entry rules and passport details
Start with your nationality and exact itinerary
China’s visa rules are not one universal checklist. Your nationality, purpose of travel, entry point, length of stay and onward route can change what applies. A visa exemption for a direct visit is different from a visa-free transit policy. Transit normally requires travel onward to a third country or region, not a simple return to where you started.
Use the National Immigration Administration, the Chinese embassy or consulate responsible for your location, and your airline as the final checks. Do not rely on an old forum post or a map graphic without a publication date. If your route depends on a transit exemption, confirm the permitted ports, stay area, duration and onward ticket conditions shortly before travel.
Make one master version of your name
Copy your surname, given names, passport number, birth date and nationality exactly from the passport data page. Use that same version for flights, hotels, railway tickets and attraction reservations. Avoid nicknames and translated names. Where a form separates surname and given name, follow the field labels rather than changing the spelling.
Prepare accommodation evidence
Keep your first hotel confirmation available offline. It should show the property name, full address and telephone number. Save the address in Chinese as well as English because drivers and local map searches may work better with Chinese text. Travelers staying somewhere other than a hotel should check the current accommodation-registration process for that location.
Official arrival-card confirmation screen
Capture needed: final confirmation page only, with all personal data removed.
- Device / version
- Mobile web or NIA 12367 app · current release
- Verification target
- Before public launch
Seven days before departure
Set up the systems you will depend on
Build a payment stack, not a single point of failure
China’s official guidance for foreign visitors lists mobile payment, bank cards and RMB cash as available payment methods. Many visitors can register Alipay or WeChat with a foreign mobile number and link supported international cards, but card approval still depends on the issuing bank and the payment product. Limits, fees and supported brands can change, so read the prompts shown in your account.
Set up one mobile wallet, complete any requested identity check and make a small test payment if you have a safe way to do so. Then add a second card from a different issuer and carry some RMB in small notes. Tell your bank about the trip if its fraud controls require travel notices. Never assume that one linked card will work for every merchant or service.
Follow our step-by-step guide to setting up Alipay with a foreign card →
Alipay foreign-card setup flow
Capture needed: Bank Cards entry, card-added state and identity-status label. No card digits or identity data.
- Device / version
- iOS and Android · international app interface
- Verification target
- Before public launch
Choose how you will get online
Decide between international roaming, a travel eSIM and a local SIM. Check device compatibility and whether your phone is carrier-unlocked before buying an eSIM. Save the installation QR code and instructions somewhere accessible offline, but do not activate a limited-duration plan earlier than the provider recommends.
A Chinese phone number is useful but not compulsory for every first trip. Foreign numbers can register for several major services, while some local delivery, attraction or mini-program flows may still be easier with a domestic number. Base the decision on what you actually plan to use rather than buying a number by default.
Install the core apps
- Alipay or WeChat for mobile payment and selected mini programs.
- AMap for local mapping, addresses, transit and route planning.
- DiDi for ride hailing; save the hotel address before you need a car.
- A translation tool with an offline language pack and camera translation.
- 12306 or your chosen booking service if the trip includes rail travel.
Open each app once, complete registration and check notification and location permissions. Downloading an app is not the same as having it ready.
Choose a train-booking method
12306 is the official China Railway platform and its English website accepts valid foreign passports for real-name ticketing. Travelers can also use another reputable booking method. Whichever route you choose, enter passenger details exactly as they appear in the passport and use the same document for station entry and boarding.
Keep the booking confirmation offline, but remember that a confirmation or itinerary sheet does not replace the passport used for the ticket. Arrive early at large stations, where security, navigation and manual passport lanes can take time.
The last 24 hours
Make the trip resilient to weak signal and dead batteries
- Recheck your flight and entry documents.Confirm terminal, baggage rules and any time-sensitive entry requirement with official sources.
- Save every first-day address offline.Hotel, airport transfer, railway station and emergency contact details should include Chinese text.
- Download offline copies.Passport data page, visa where applicable, insurance, hotel confirmation, onward travel and booking references.
- Charge and separate backups.Phone, power bank, charging cable, second card and cash should not all live in the same bag.
- Take privacy-safe screenshots.Save useful confirmation screens, but avoid exposing full passport or card details in your photo library.
After you land
Do these five things in order
- 1
Complete entry formalities
Use the channel appropriate to your document and answer questions consistently with your itinerary. Keep onward and accommodation evidence reachable.
- 2
Confirm that your phone is online
Test data before leaving the terminal. If an eSIM is installed but not connecting, check that the correct line is enabled for mobile data and that roaming is enabled when the provider requires it.
- 3
Test one payment
Use a low-value purchase from a staffed merchant. If it fails, do not repeat the same attempt rapidly; switch to the backup card or cash and troubleshoot later.
- 4
Open the saved hotel location
Match the English booking with the Chinese address. For ride hailing, choose the exact pickup point and note the terminal, floor, gate or exit number.
- 5
Keep your passport accessible
Hotels, train journeys and real-name attractions may require the original document used for booking.
Troubleshooting
What if something does not work?
My mobile payment is declined
Check the app’s identity status, confirm the issuing bank approved the transaction and try a different supported card. Use RMB cash for the immediate purchase. Do not keep submitting the same failed payment.
I cannot receive an SMS code
Recheck the country code, mobile signal and roaming status. Disable aggressive spam filtering, wait before requesting another code and try the service’s alternative verification method if one is shown.
My train passenger details fail
Compare every character with the passport data page. Check surname and given-name fields, spaces and passport number. If your departure is close, use an official station ticket counter or your booking provider’s support channel.
The driver cannot find me
Confirm the exact pickup point, terminal, level and numbered exit. Send the Chinese address or a photo of a nearby fixed sign through in-app chat. Move only after telling the driver.
An attraction will not accept my passport
Check whether the official booking channel supports foreign documents and whether the name format matches. Contact the venue or use its staffed ticket channel where available. Do not enter a false domestic ID number.
Common questions
Do I need a Chinese phone number?
Not for every traveler. Many core services accept foreign numbers, but a local number can make delivery and some local registrations easier. Check each service you plan to use.
Can tourists still use cash?
Yes. RMB cash remains a valid payment method. Mobile payment may be more convenient in many situations, but cash is an important fallback.
Must I use 12306 to book trains?
No. 12306 is the official railway platform, but another reputable booking method may suit you. Always use the same passport details and document for booking and travel.
Can Google Maps be my only map?
Do not rely on one map service. Save Chinese addresses and install a locally useful map such as AMap before departure.
When should I check visa or visa-free rules?
Check before booking and again within seven days of departure. Use the National Immigration Administration and the Chinese embassy or consulate responsible for your location.
Source notes
Sources accessed September 18, 2026. Operational details were checked against official documentation; the app screenshot positions on this page still require hands-on capture before public launch.
- National Immigration Administration — Policy interpretations, including 2026 visa-free and arrival-card updates.
- State Council of the People’s Republic of China — Guide to Working and Living in China, used for payment, transport, accommodation and daily-service guidance.
- Payment service guide for overseas visitors to China, used to confirm that mobile payment, bank cards and cash are supported options.
- China Railway 12306 English FAQ, used for passport, real-name ticketing and boarding-document guidance.