Essential China Travel Guide

As of November 2025, China offers unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 48 countries:

Europe (34): France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden.

Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.

Asia (7): Brunei, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain.

South America (5): Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay.

For unilateral visa-free countries (e.g., Germany, France, Japan, South Korea), the maximum stay is 30 days.

Important Note: For countries with mutual visa exemption agreements (e.g., Brazil, Singapore, Thailand), the permitted stay follows the bilateral agreement terms (typically 30 or 90 days), offering more comprehensive protections.

🚀 Major 2026 Upgrade: The previous 144-hour transit visa exemption has been extended to 240 hours (10 days)!

Eligible Travelers: Citizens of 55 qualifying countries (Indonesia recently added) holding onward tickets to a third country/region.

Coverage: Entry through any of China's 60 designated ports (newly added: Shanxi, Anhui, Hainan, etc.), with visa-free stay permitted within designated regions for up to 10 days. This is your ideal gateway for a short "China-wide tour."

We strongly recommend a "combo strategy" to ensure successful payments in any situation:

Primary Option: Link your international credit card (Visa/Mastercard) directly to Alipay or WeChat Pay. This works for most commercial transactions.

Essential Backup (TourCard): Be sure to activate the TourCard mini-program within Alipay. When street vendors, small shops, or taxi drivers can't accept international cards, TourCard is your lifesaver.

Many small businesses in China use "personal payment QR codes" that don't support direct international card payments—TourCard balance is required for these transactions.

Top-up Fee: TourCard charges a 5% service fee (e.g., topping up ¥100 costs ¥5 in fees).

Payment Fee: Using TourCard balance for purchases typically incurs no additional fees.

Our Recommendation: Given the high top-up cost, avoid loading large amounts at once. We suggest keeping ¥200-500 specifically for street food, taxis, or convenience store purchases.

Absolutely! To minimize fees, follow these principles:

Book Large Expenses Online in Advance: For flights, hotels, and attraction tickets, we strongly recommend booking through Trip.com, Agoda, or airline websites using your international credit card before departure. These platforms typically don't charge extra payment fees and help you avoid Alipay/WeChat's 3% fee on transactions over ¥200.

Scan to Pay for Mid-Range Purchases: At shopping malls and established restaurants, prioritize paying with your linked foreign card via Alipay/WeChat (no fees under ¥200).

Use TourCard for Small/Personal Vendor Payments: Only use TourCard balance when the above methods fail.

Yes, we still recommend carrying a small amount of cash (around ¥200-500). Despite the extremely high coverage of mobile payments, cash remains your final backup when your phone dies, network signal is weak, or systems are under maintenance.

Three main options:
International eSIM (Highly Recommended): Services like Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad eSIM offer affordable rates, with some including VPN functionality for normal access to Google, WhatsApp, etc.

International Roaming: Convenient for calls but expensive.

Local Chinese SIM Card: Affordable but subject to network restrictions; requires ID verification. Important: Purchase only from official carrier stores (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom) at airports or near hotels—avoid buying online from social media sellers, as these may not work.

We highly recommend Amap (Gaode Maps) and Apple Maps.
Both Android and iOS users can now download the English version of Amap directly—it has more comprehensive data than Apple Maps and is currently the best option.
Apple Maps remains an excellent native choice for iPhone users.

Two recommended methods:

Google Translate: Supports real-time camera translation and voice translation (requires international roaming or global data plan)

ChatGPT App Voice Mode: Enables real-time interpretation; we recommend a Plus subscription for stability
Apple Translate: Built into iOS, supports offline translation

Option 1: Alipay/WeChat Transit QR Code (Recommended)
Open Alipay → Tap "Transport" → Select your city → Complete identity verification → Get your transit QR code
Scan the QR code when entering/exiting; the system automatically deducts the fare. Foreign phone numbers are supported for registration.

Option 2: Purchase a Transit Card
Available at subway station counters with your passport; accepts cash, WeChat, or Alipay payment.

We recommend Trip.com or Railway 12306.

Railway 12306: China's official railway app, now with English interface—no service fees, but registration can be strict.

Trip.com: More user-friendly interface, accepts international credit cards directly, responsive customer service—ideal for hassle-free booking.

Pro Tip: The "Transport → 12306" mini-program within Alipay also works with translation features.

Not recommended for short-term visitors.

China does not recognize international driving permits (IDP). Foreign tourists must apply for a temporary Chinese driver's license, which requires:
Translated driver's license, passport with visa, medical certificate, photos (32mm×22mm)

Recommendation: Only apply for temporary licenses in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Chongqing, where local vehicle management offices can process applications quickly. Smaller city offices lack experience with temporary licenses and may cause delays.

Uber and Grab don't operate in China. Please use DiDi (Didi Chuxing).
How to Use: No need to download a separate DiDi app. Simply tap "Transport" → "Taxi" on the Alipay homepage to hail a DiDi ride directly.
Advantage: Built-in Chinese-English translation—enter your destination in English, and the driver sees it in Chinese. Communication made easy.

We strongly advise against long-distance buses for international tourists.

Why: Bus stations typically lack English signage, ticket sellers don't speak English, and cities may have multiple bus stations (easy to go to the wrong one). Unless accompanied by a guide, please opt for high-speed rail or flights.

If the rooftop indicator light is ON (Red or Green, usually showing "空车/Available"), it means available for hire; light OFF means occupied. Taxis accept both cash and mobile payments.

Even though policies have relaxed, we still recommend careful verification.
Latest Policy: Since July 2024, China has explicitly required accommodation providers not to refuse foreign guests citing lack of foreign guest certification.

Practical Advice: Despite the favorable policy, some front desk staff in remote areas or small cities may still be unfamiliar with procedures. To avoid complications, we recommend booking through Trip.com and checking whether "Guests Accepted" includes "All countries."

Highly recommended. International travel can involve flight cancellations, lost luggage, sudden illness, and other unexpected situations. Compare policies from multiple insurers through platforms like TravelInsurance.com or World Nomads to find coverage that suits your itinerary.

A: Please memorize these Chinese emergency numbers (toll-free):
🚨 China Emergency Numbers
- 110 — Police (security, theft, personal safety)
- 119 — Fire
- 120 — Medical Emergency
- 122 — Traffic Accidents

B: Our OnTrip Real-Time Support Service
If you've purchased our OnTrip service, you'll have access to:
- 7×10 hours multilingual online support (Beijing Time 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM)
- Real-time route guidance and navigation assistance
- Emergency coordination for unexpected situations (flight delays, itinerary changes)
- Communication assistance with local merchants, hotels, and drivers