Last updated: July 10, 2026.
This checklist is for visitors who want China to work from the first day. It focuses on practical setup: phone data, payments, apps, transport, maps, translation, hotel check-in, and backups.
1. Install Your Core Apps Before Departure
- Alipay (支付宝, Zhifubao): mobile payment and useful mini programs.
- WeChat (微信, Weixin): messaging, WeChat (微信, Weixin) Pay (微信支付, Weixin Zhifu), hotel and restaurant communication.
- DiDi (滴滴, Didi): ride-hailing in many Chinese cities.
- A map app: Apple Maps, AMap / Gaode Maps (高德地图, Gaode Ditu)/Gaode, or Baidu Maps (百度地图, Baidu Ditu) depending on your language comfort.
- A translation app with offline language packs if possible.
2. Prepare Payment Redundancy
Do not rely on a single payment path. Try to prepare at least one mobile wallet, one physical card, and a small cash backup. China’s official overseas payment guides emphasize that visitors may use several payment options, including mobile payment, bank cards, and cash, but exact acceptance varies by merchant and situation.
Reference: Guide to Payment Services in China.
3. Decide How Your Phone Will Get Online
- International roaming is simplest if your carrier supports China at a reasonable price.
- eSIM can be convenient, but check whether your phone supports it and whether the plan supports the apps you need.
- Local SIM can be cost-effective, but setup may require passport registration and time at a staffed counter.
4. Check Charging, Adapters, and Voltage
- Bring a universal travel adapter. Mainland China commonly uses sockets that accept Type A and Type I plugs, but hotels and buildings are not always consistent.
- Check the charger label. If it says Input: 100-240V, 50/60Hz, your phone, laptop, tablet, or camera charger usually only needs a plug adapter.
- Be careful with 110V/120V-only appliances. A plug adapter does not convert voltage. Read the power plugs and charging guide before packing hair dryers, curling irons, steamers, or important medical devices.
5. Save Chinese Addresses
Save your hotel name, address, and phone number in Chinese. A driver or police officer may not be able to act on an English-only address.
6. Prepare Your First Ride
Airport arrivals are where scams and confusion are easiest. Use official taxi queues, metro, airport shuttle, hotel pickup, or DiDi (滴滴, Didi). Avoid random ride offers in the terminal.
7. Keep Documents Available
- Passport and visa or entry permission.
- Hotel booking confirmation.
- Return or onward ticket.
- Travel insurance details if you use insurance.
8. Use a First-Day Rule
On day one, optimize for reliability instead of cleverness. Choose a simple transport route, a hotel with staffed reception, and restaurants where ordering is easy. Once the setup stack works, the trip becomes much easier.