China is one of the most diverse, fascinating, and absurdly beautiful places we’ve ever been. The country is huge. It’s almost the same land size as the US but it has over a billion more people. You can take two 10 hour bullet trains, going almost 200 mph (320 km/h) and still be in the same country. Their ability to maintain efficiency and commonality throughout the country with things like WeChat and AliPay dominating, makes travel a breeze… once you have all the required apps. However, being a foreigner makes it really hard to get all the required apps for an easy breezy trip. Keep reading for more tips to make your trip as seamless as possible.
Our experience is that we lived there for three years but we recognize most people reading this will be traveling not living there. So we’ve reached out to friends who still live there to make sure we have the most updated information for you!
Visa
You must get your visa BEFORE you fly. China does not offer a visa on arrival to very many countries. A few European countries have this luxury but it’s also only for a certain time period.
Make sure to follow the most updated procedures to get the right visa for your travels. Most tourists get a 30 day tourist visa. However they have recently opened up the 144-Hour Visa Free Transit Policy so if you are going to specific areas only (Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou) for less than 6 days, you may qualify for the Transit Visa which is a lot less paperwork.
VPN – Download BEFORE You Travel
China is famous not only for their Great Wall of China but also their Great Firewall. It’s well known that China censors internet traffic coming into the country so the only way around this is to download a Virtual Private Network (VPN) like Astrill or Express. When I tell you, no google products will work, not Google Maps, not Gmail, not Chrome, believe me, it’s frustrating. You will also need to switch to Apple Maps for any sort of navigation. Even with a VPN, I would not rely on getting Google Maps to work well and Gmail can be spotty at times. Make sure to download the VPN on all devices BEFORE you come. You will not be able to download the VPN once you are in the country.
Apps and Cash / Payment
China is largely a digital society. In the three years we lived there (2020 – 2023) we never once touched cash. Every transaction was done digitally. A friend tried to pay in cash once, and the shopkeepers refused. I have seen little old grandmas paying in cash but let’s be honest, no one is going to argue with that sweet old lady. Therefore you need to be prepared. A lot of stores won’t even take Visa or Mastercard. Big chain hotels will but if you want a more authentic experience, get the apps.
The best way to make any payment is with WeChat (green app) or AliPay (blue app). WeChat is the go to app in China for literally everything: messaging people, paying friends with split bills, buying tickets to shows or events, scanning any QR code (and there will be thousands of them), and it even has an Instagram like social media feed. However, getting a WeChat account is not always the easiest as a foreigner. When we had to get it for work, it was a very frustrating process where we had to get codes from a person in China who had WeChat and even then it didn’t work at first. Also to use the payment system in WeChat, you currently need to have a bank account in China. They are working on being more open to travelers but WeChat is not there yet. The most traveler friendly thing to do is download AliPay. In AliPay, foreigners can more easily link a foreign credit card and still scan the QR codes for payments. This makes travel around a breeze. Also in Alipay, you can rent bikes, order food, and explore more.
Baidu Translate will be your go to app for translating anything. Especially when working with apps, you can screenshot your phone screen and Baidu will scan the screenshot to translate so you can always click the right button. It also helps in restaurants or when you need to snap a quick picture and translate.
Getting Around
Most cities are very easy to walk around. Sidewalks are good, well marked and easy to navigate. But getting out of train stations and airports, you’ll need to either access public transportation or taxis.
Public Transportation – most big cities have a well defined public transportation system. Using Apple Maps, you can easily map out where you are going and the best route with a combination of subway trains and buses. You can purchase a ticket at any train station.
Taxis – I never had an experience where a taxi tried to rip us off so there is no worry there however the biggest issue with taxis is communicating where you need to go. Very few people will try to speak English with you so if you don’t know Chinese, taxis can be hard to show them where you need to go. Remember, they need the name of the hotel or attraction in Chinese characters, not written in English. To avoid this hassle, we always used DiDi. It’s basically the same as Uber but Uber does not operate in China anymore so get ready to use another China specific app. DiDi is great because it’s in English on your side but in Chinese on the driver’s side. You also don’t have to fuss with payment because it’s all done in the app. They will ask you to confirm the last 4 digits of your phone number when you get in the taxi. If you don’t speak Chinese, just check the digits on the drivers phone and confirm with “dui” pronounced dway.
Bikes – You know how “last mile” transportation is always the hardest to find in big cities in the US, well China has figured this one out. There are three different bike companies that are distinct by their color: blue Alipay, teal DiDi, and yellow Meituan (which is a food delivery app). Throughout the whole country, these rental bikes are the same which is massively impressive and makes it again really easy to go from city to city already set up. However, to access the bikes takes a little bit of work. You will need to open the respective app and apply to use the bikes. You will need to upload a picture of your passport and any other information they request. It can take up to 48 hours for them to approve but once you’ve got access, these bikes are amazing. For basically pennies, you can rent them for 30 minute increments. In the app, you scan the QR code on the bike and the app will unlock the bike for you (using bluetooth signals). Then you take off riding. Most cities have well marked bike lanes next to the road so riding is actually pretty safe. You can just follow the literal thousands of others who are using bikes to get around. Another great thing is that you can park them almost anywhere. The app will show you if you’re in a no parking zone and when you go to lock the wheel, it will pop back open if you are in a no parking spot. We generally just tried to park it next to other bikes so you know it’s a safe zone. Once locked, the app will charge you for the time you rented it. It’s honestly the best bang for your buck in terms of “last mile” transportation options. And it’s fun to ride around!
Booking travel with Trip.com, the best travel app
Trip.com app is the best app for travel hands down. You can buy flights, train tickets, book hotels and tours all within the app. We never once had an issue in the three years of traveling all over. Our friends tried multiple times to use Booking.com because it’s what they used in other countries and there was always some issue. Trip.com is a life saver in China (and even outside of China we love using it now). The app will charge you a small fee to book the train tickets for example but to get the Chinese train booking app, you’ll need a Chinese phone number and you’ll have to either know how to read Chinese or learn how to screenshot and use translations apps for every screen because almost no apps (besides WeChat and Alipay) are in English. Get used to this as it’s a common theme that almost nothing will be in English.
For all my advanced planners out there, train tickets only release two weeks in advance. This can make trying to pre-arranged travel slightly stressful but don’t worry, most travelers are able to make it work. If all else fails, you can always book a flight.
If you can, I’d recommend train travel as their train system is outstanding. First, you don’t have to arrive at the train station 2 hours before like you have to with a flight. I’d recommend giving yourself time but 30 minutes is plenty at the train stations. You don’t have to go through crazy security like the airport, just a simple X-ray scanner. There doesn’t seem to be a limit for bags either. Once you get through the security checkpoint, find your gate. It will be listed in the Trip.com app. There are no physical printed tickets anymore so keep your device handy. At your gate, you’ll notice the schedule on a screen announcing the times and train numbers coming through. To pass through the gated area, all you need to do is show your passport. Your train tickets are linked to your passport number. Pro tip: Foreigners have a special line with elderly or children because they have to scan your passport. All the other lines only scan the Chinese ID so look to see what side the attendant is on and go to their line. It will either be to the far left or far right side. Do not go through the regular turnstalls as the machine will not be able to read your passport. Once the attendant scans your passport and the green check comes up, follow the crowds down to the train. Trip.com app will also tell you the cabin number, row number and seat number. Most attendants on the train will try to help you but they don’t speak much English, if at all. This is a great time to let you know that this whole process happens super fast. Generally they will open the gates between 10-20 minutes before the train arrives. You have to clear the gates, get down to the platform and on the train quickly. The train only stays at a stop for what feels like less than 2 minutes so don’t dawdle. Same goes for all stops so be prepared a few minutes before your stop to gather your things and get off the train. They will call out the stops in Chinese and English on the speakers and there is an announcement screen visible in each train car.
FYI: there are different types of trains. The bullet trains are the fastest and therefore most expensive (but still usually decently priced). These high speed trains are marked with G, C, and D in the ticket type. The slower trains are cheaper and definitely not as comfortable. You can take overnight sleeper cars on the slow trains. The slow trains are marked with Z, T and K in the ticket type. Both fast and slow trains sell “standing room only” tickets. If your trip is short, it’s a pretty good deal but you usually end up standing by the doors which are near the bathrooms. I’d definitely recommend you buy a seat as it’s much more comfortable. If you are booking on Trip.com, you are not able to pick your seat number (just the type: business, first, second class), but we’ve traveled with up to 4 people booked together and we’ve always gotten seats together. We also usually booked second class (the cheapest of the three) and always had a comfortable ride.
Another great thing about train travel in China is that you can bring food and drinks on the train. They have a food and beverage cart similar to an airplane but I will warn you that bottled water is something crazy like 10x the price so just stock up at the train station before you go. You can even order food ahead to the next stop and they drop it off to your train car. Most train stations have a few restaurants and convenience stores so if you forget water or food, buy it there.
Booking Hotels with Trip.com, the best travel app
Trip.com comes in handy when booking hotels as well. It has a wide variety of hotels and ranges with a large amount of comments to help you make well informed decisions. When moving locations throughout China, the government requires both residents and travelers to register your new location. The hotels will do this for you so no worries. But do be careful as not all hotels are able to accept foreigners. Some hotel systems are only able to accept Chinese ID and no matter how much you ask, they won’t take you. To avoid this, check the Trip.com reviews. Each reviewer has a flag from their registered country. If you notice a lot of nonChinese flags leaving reviews on websites, you’re most likely good to go to book there. Also, make sure to check if they have non-smoking rooms available, if that’s something you’re sensitive to as many people in China smoke and smoking in hotel rooms is very common.
Food
The food in China is not like anything I’ve ever had. Real Chinese food is so flavorful and delicious with such diversity.
From the north: a deliciously flaky pastry stuffed with beef or pork and green onions sandwich (rou jia mo), a refreshing cold noodle dish that’s perfect for the summer heat (liangpi), and of course Beijing/Peking Duck (bei jing kao ya), a savory, melt in your mouth duck served with wraps, sauces, and accouterments.
From the south: Guilin rice noodle soup (mi fen) that is so simple we can’t stop craving it, a sauerkraut fish soup (suan tang yu) I know what you are thinking but it’s insanely good with the sour perfectly balanced with the spicy peppers. Make sure to give it a try!
From the central regions: some of the spiciest dishes including Sichuan Hot Pot. Honestly you can get all the amazing regular chinese dishes (fried meat, sauteed veggies, etc) but it’s all just spicier.
From the east: Shanghai soup dumplings (xiao long bao) that burst with flavor in your mouth but do be careful not to burn yourself. We recommend you take a small bite first to let some steam out, and then in one bite, eat the rest. Guangzhou serves wonderful small plates (dim sum).
And last but not least, from the west with our favorite, Xinjiang food: spicy cumin lamb skewers (yang rou chuan), roasted lamb leg, fried lamb (kao yang rou), lamb buns (kao bao zi). Are you starting to see a trend? The lamb is insanely good. You can find so many skewer restaurants (chuan) where they have an open fire grill that cooks the skewers for you. You order the raw meat (beef and veggies available too) and they serve it already skewered and they even cook it for you. Xinjiang food also has delicious side dishes like our favorite spinach with vinegar and peanuts.
Each region/province has its own speciality so make sure to try the dish of that area. I will warn you of some odd food choices: stinky tofu, hairy tofu, chicken feet for snacks, fermented eggs, donkey meat (but we actually really liked this one), and of course, do watch out as most restaurants serve meat with the bones in it. This seems like an obvious statement but the way they chop the meat, the bones are small so chew carefully and slowly so you can pull all the bonesout.
Most restaurants will not give you menus in English but a lot of menus have pictures. Also a lot of restaurants have QR codes to scan to get the menu which is helpful if you want to screenshot and translate on your phone. If all else fails, just point at pictures. You may not get exactly what you think you ordered but it’s all part of the experience.
Cellphone
Since China is such a digital forward country, I think it would be really hard to navigate as a tourist doing your own travel without a SIM card. If you are on a tour of any kind, you may be able to get away with just WiFi. Stop at any ChinaUnicom store, I’d recommend the airport kiosks as they are more familiar with registering foreigners based on passports. I can’t prove this but it seemed like we used less data while living in China meaning that we didn’t change our online habits but the amount of data we used every month according to our cell phone plan was always less than the US. So I’d recommend buying less than you think because you can always top it up later.
Things To Be Aware Of
Language
After living in China for three years, I can confidently tell you that most people (outside of big city western style hotels) either do not speak English or they don’t want to let on that they do. I’m not really sure why. One of my students said he thought it was because it was seen as bragging but either way, it can be very frustrating. My husband tried to learn Chinese but even then, if he mispronounced something, most people were not willing to help or just looked at him like they had no idea what he was saying. This isn’t to say the people are unfriendly. Our coworkers were all amazing and so welcoming. We met a group of students in a market who wanted to talk to us so badly that they patiently waited as we fumbled through with spotty dialogue translations apps. A smile and friendly face can go a long way but it can also be so frustrating when you just need directions, food or help and cannot communicate that need.
Pictures of your Passport
A lot of security guards will take a picture of your passport. Don’t panic. Most of their systems are based on the Chinese ID which they are easily able to scan but since the passport is not part of that system, they tend to take a picture of it as evidence in case something happens. They can’t steal your identity from this document alone and one thing you’ll learn quickly is just do the thing they ask because they are checking a box just as much as you. Pass through quickly without putting up a fight and your trip will be smoother.
Time Zone
China is all one time zone. It’s hard to believe that a country that big, with so many places, across so much land is in the same time zone but it’s true. It seems to be adjusted to the east coast side so if you are traveling to the far west, just know you’ll have to mentally switch to account for the changes.
The Amount of People
I will say that since we lived in China during 2020-2023, we experienced a China vastly different than today. We experienced a time in their history where when we traveled, the places were rarely packed. However, talking to friends who still live there and watching videos of the same places now, the quiet places we visited are now swamped with people and tourists. So be careful as there are generally long lines and tons of people. If you are able, plan your trip not during a Chinese public holiday (Chinese New Year, Tomb Sweeping, May Labor Day, National Holiday in Oct). During public holidays, it can be nearly impossible to get a train ticket, attractions will be booked solid or you’ll have to wait in crazy long lines of seas of people.
Cities to Visit
– Xi’an
– Tianjin
– Beijing
Final Thoughts
Overall though, China is still one of my favorite countries. I’d recommend it to anyone. It may be harder to do on your own based on some inconveniences and restrictions, however it is possible. If you feel more comfortable, use a tour company. We used China Highlights for a trip or two so we know they are a reputable company. We can’t wait for you to experience all the fascinating culture, food and wonder that is China.
