Free checklist

China Travel Checklist for First-Time Visitors

Set up your phone, payments, transport, tickets, and emergency backups before you arrive in China.

Unlock the full printable setup pack Read the free checklist

Rules can change. Check official sources and app screens before travel. This is not official travel or legal advice.

Before You Fly

Passport / visa or visa-free rules
Arrival card or port-entry instructions
Hotel booking and address
Travel insurance
eSIM or roaming

Set Up Your Phone

Alipay
WeChat
Trip.com
Map app
Translation app

Payments

Link an international card to Alipay
Set up WeChat Pay as backup
Carry small cash
Check app-screen fees and limits

Getting Around

Metro QR code
Taxi / DiDi
High-speed rail
Chinese address backups

Tickets & Attractions

Book popular attractions early
Use passport name exactly
Save QR codes
Keep backup plans

Emergency

Hotel address in Chinese
Passport backup
110 / 120 / 119
Offline emergency card

Free setup guides

Go deeper on the practical parts.

Use these pages for SEO-friendly basics. The full setup pack adds printable steps, troubleshooting, and offline cards.

How to Pay in China

A practical China payment setup guide for first-time visitors covering mobile wallets, card backups, cash, and common payment issues.

China Public Transport Guide

A first-time visitor guide to using metro, bus, taxi, and Chinese address backups in China without overcomplicating your trip.

China High-Speed Rail Guide

A practical China high-speed rail guide for first-time visitors covering station planning, passport names, arrival buffers, and train-day mistakes.

China Travel Apps

A simple China travel apps checklist for first-time visitors covering payment, messaging, maps, translation, booking, and offline backups.

China Ticket Booking Guide

A practical China attraction ticket booking guide covering passport names, QR codes, booking windows, confirmation screenshots, and backup plans.

Full setup pack preview

Inside the paid printable setup pack.

Arrival Card Step-by-Step

Detailed steps are reserved for the full printable pack.

Hotel Registration

Detailed steps are reserved for the full printable pack.

Alipay Setup

Detailed steps are reserved for the full printable pack.

Metro / Bus QR

Detailed steps are reserved for the full printable pack.

Offline Emergency Card

Detailed steps are reserved for the full printable pack.

When should I fill in the arrival card?

Check the current airline, airport, or official port-of-entry instructions before departure. If you cannot complete it before flying, ask airline or border staff what on-arrival options are available.

Do I need a China SIM card?

Not always. eSIM or international roaming can cover many short trips, while a China SIM may help with SMS verification for longer stays.

Can Google services be unreliable?

They may be unavailable or unreliable in mainland China without international roaming or another compliant network solution.