What to Prepare Before Travelling to China: A Practical Pre-Departure Checklist

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1. Introduction

China rewards preparation more than most destinations. You can't just show up with a credit card and Google Maps and wing it like you might in France or Japan. China runs on a different set of digital rails — different payment apps, different maps, a different internet. And more and more attractions, restaurants, and transport require advance booking through platforms that take some time to set up.[1][2]

None of this is hard. But the things that matter — setting up Alipay, getting a VPN, booking the Forbidden City — can't be done in five minutes at the airport. This checklist covers what to sort before you leave, so when you land you're ready to go.

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2. Documents

Your documents are the foundation. Entry, hotels, tickets — everything needs your passport.

Passport Check your passport expiry before booking anything. China requires at least 3 months remaining validity beyond your departure date; 6 months is safer. Your passport number is needed for train tickets, Alipay verification, Forbidden City reservations, and hotel check-in. You'll use it constantly.[3]

Visa or Visa-Free Eligibility Check if your nationality qualifies for China's current visa-free entry — there's a 30-day unilateral scheme for 38 nationalities, a 240-hour transit policy for 55 nationalities, or bilateral arrangements. If not, apply for a standard tourist visa (L visa) at your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate well ahead. Processing is usually 4–7 business days but can take longer during busy periods.[4]

Hotel Confirmations Save your hotel confirmation numbers, addresses, and check-in details — digitally and as offline screenshots. Immigration officers sometimes ask for accommodation details on arrival. Hotel staff will want your booking reference at check-in.[5]

Return or Onward Ticket Transit visa-free visitors: carry a printed or clearly screenshotted onward ticket to a third country. Standard visa holders: having a return ticket confirmation handy is good practice even if not strictly required.[4]

Travel Insurance Public hospitals in major cities are generally good, but medical costs for foreigners without insurance can add up fast. Get a policy that covers medical evacuation, hospital admission, and trip cancellation. Carry both a digital and printed copy of the policy number and emergency helpline.[2]

Emergency Contacts Write down (on paper) your country's embassy or consulate in China, your travel insurance emergency number, your hotel address in Chinese, and a trusted contact at home. Keep it in your bag, separate from your phone.

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3. Payment Setup

China is mobile-first for payments. Getting this right before you arrive is probably the most important item on this list.

Alipay — Priority Setup Register your Alipay account, complete passport-based identity verification, and link an international Visa or Mastercard before leaving home. Identity verification can take 24–48 hours for manual review. Test that your QR payment code loads — if it shows up, you're good. (Full instructions in our Alipay guide.)[6]

WeChat Pay — Secondary Setup Set up WeChat and link an international card as backup. Some merchants accept one but not the other; having both gives you the best coverage.[7]

Foreign Cards Most international credit cards won't work at restaurant counters, shops, or street markets in China. Card machines are rare outside international hotels. Don't count on your physical card as your main payment method. Notify your bank before you go to allow China-based transactions and prevent fraud blocks on Alipay charges.[6]

Cash Backup Carry RMB 500–1,000 (~£55–110) in cash for situations where mobile payment really fails — very rural areas, some temples, older market stalls, emergencies. You can withdraw RMB from ATMs in major cities using an international card (Visa/Mastercard usually work at ICBC, Bank of China, and HSBC branches).[6]

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4. Phone and Internet

This is the category most first-time visitors underestimate. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail — all blocked in mainland China. That affects how you navigate, communicate, and use your usual apps unless you plan ahead.[1]

eSIM — Recommended Solution Install a travel eSIM before you leave (Airalo, Holafly, or Nomad are solid). You'll have data the moment you land, and many international travel eSIMs route traffic outside China — so blocked apps like Google Maps and Google Translate work without a separate VPN. Check that your phone supports eSIM (iPhone XS or later, most modern Android flagships) and is unlocked.[1]

Keep Your Home SIM Active Even if you're using an eSIM for data, keep your home SIM in your phone and make sure it can receive SMS internationally. Alipay and WeChat verification codes go to your registered phone number — if that number can't get texts, you're locked out.[6]

VPN — Download Before You Leave If you're using a local SIM or hotel Wi-Fi instead of an international eSIM, install a VPN on all your devices before you go. VPN provider websites are blocked in China, so you can't download them once you're there. Well-reviewed options: ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Astrill.[2]

Roaming Check with your home carrier whether your plan includes China data roaming and what it costs. For most UK carriers (EE, Vodafone, O2), roaming in China is expensive and may still block certain apps. An eSIM is usually cheaper.

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5. Apps to Download

Install and set these up before you board. Several require registration that's hard to do from inside China.

Category	App	Priority
Payment	Alipay	🔴 Essential
Payment	WeChat (+ WeChat Pay)	🔴 Essential
Maps	Amap / Gaode Maps	🔴 Essential
Translation	Google Translate (+ offline Chinese pack)	🔴 Essential
Ride-hailing	Didi (or via Alipay mini-program)	🟡 Recommended
Booking	Trip.com	🟡 Recommended
VPN	ExpressVPN / NordVPN	🟡 Recommended
Dictionary	Pleco	🟢 Optional
Food discovery	Dianping (via WeChat)	🟢 Optional
Transport maps	MetroMan	🟢 Optional

After downloading: switch language to English, grant location permissions, test that the core function works. Download offline Chinese (Simplified) language packs in both Google Translate and your map app — these let the apps work without data in dead spots.[7]

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6. Transport Bookings

Airport Transfer Figure out how you'll get from the airport to your hotel before you land. In Shanghai, the Maglev train (Pudong Airport to Longyang Road metro) and Airport Bus Line 2 are reliable and cheap. In Beijing, the Airport Express rail connects Capital Airport to the city centre in 30 minutes. Alternatively, book a private transfer in advance through Trip.com or your hotel. Skip unlicensed taxi touts in arrivals halls.[8]

High-Speed Rail Book intercity trains through Trip.com (full English, accepts international cards, small fee) or directly on 12306.cn/en (no fee, requires advance identity verification). Tickets open exactly 15 days before departure — book popular routes (Beijing–Shanghai, Beijing–Xi'an) as soon as they go on sale.[3]

Metro Setup In Beijing and Shanghai, Alipay's built-in Transport function gives you metro QR codes for tap-in entry without needing a physical card. Set this up in Alipay before you arrive, or buy a physical transit card at the airport.[9]

Didi Set up Didi through the Alipay mini-program before you arrive. That way you can call a car whenever you need one, without waiting to download and register a separate app.[10]

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7. Accommodation

Book Foreigner-Friendly Hotels Not all accommodation in China can legally host foreign nationals. Guesthouses and some budget rentals aren't registered to accept international guests. Stick to internationally recognised hotel chains or Chinese hotels that explicitly say they accept foreign passport holders. When in doubt, contact the hotel directly before booking.[11]

Location Matters More Than Price Pick somewhere near a metro station inside the city's inner ring roads. Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an — these cities are large. A hotel that looks central on a map can be 45 minutes from your first stop. Being near a metro station is the single most useful advantage.[12]

Save Your Hotel Address in Chinese Before you leave, save your hotel's address in Chinese characters. Taxi and Didi drivers navigate by Chinese addresses — showing them an English name may not help. Screenshot the Chinese address and keep it in your camera roll.[7]

Hotel Registration Hotels in China are legally required to register foreign guests with local authorities within 24 hours of check-in — they do this automatically during your check-in. If you stay in a private apartment or non-registered rental, you must visit the nearest police station (派出所) yourself within 24 hours.[4]

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8. Attraction Reservations

China's most popular sights use strict ticketing systems. Many are sold out days or weeks in advance. Walk-up tickets are often not available at all.

Forbidden City, Beijing Daily visitor numbers are capped. Book online via the official Forbidden City website (gugunv.so.com) with your passport number at least 1–2 weeks ahead in normal periods, even earlier during Golden Week or peak summer.[8]

Terracotta Warriors, Xi'an Book online ahead of time, especially for weekends. The site is very busy; showing up without a pre-booked ticket could mean a long queue or no availability.[13]

Shanghai Tower Observation Deck Online booking skips long walk-up queues. Book a few days ahead during peak season.

Shaanxi History Museum, Xi'an Free entry but strictly limited — timed entry tickets must be booked online in advance.[8]

Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing Cable car tickets sell out on peak days, so book cable car + entry together ahead of time. Also arrange day-trip transfers from central Beijing in advance.[8]

General Rule All Chinese attraction tickets are now issued on a passport-by-passport basis under the real-name system. Book under the exact name and passport number of each visitor. Ticket transfers are generally not possible.[14]

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9. Health and Safety

Travel Insurance Make sure your policy covers medical treatment in China, including hospital admission and medical evacuation. Keep your policy documents and emergency contact number both printed and saved offline.

Medication Bring enough prescription medication for the whole trip, plus a few extra days. Many foreign medications aren't available or are restricted in China. Carry prescriptions in their original labelled packaging. Some controlled substances need documentation from your doctor and may be flagged at customs.[2]

Air Quality Pollution in Beijing and Xi'an can reach unhealthy levels, especially in autumn and winter. Check air quality forecasts via the AQI app. If you have respiratory conditions, bring appropriate medication and consider N95 masks for high-AQI days.[2]

Emergency Numbers in China

• Police: 110
• Ambulance: 120
• Fire: 119
• Tourist complaint hotline: 12301

Write these down. It's also worth confirming your country's embassy address in Beijing or consulate in Shanghai/Guangzhou.

Food and Water Don't drink tap water anywhere in China. Bottled water is cheap, widely available, and the standard. Street food is generally safe when freshly cooked at busy stalls (high turnover = fresh ingredients). Avoid pre-cooked food left at room temperature.[2]

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10. Packing List

Essentials

• Passport (original) — plus a separate photocopy in your bag
• Power adapter — China uses Type A (two flat pins) and Type I (two diagonal pins) sockets at 220V/50Hz; UK plugs need an adapter[2]
• Portable charger / power bank — a large-capacity one (20,000+ mAh) for long sightseeing days
• Comfortable walking shoes — you'll do 15,000–25,000 steps a day at major sights

Technology

• Unlocked smartphone with eSIM installed and tested
• All apps downloaded with offline data packs
• Earphones (handy for translation and audio guides)

Health

• All prescription medication in labelled original packaging
• Over-the-counter basics: antihistamines, digestive medication, pain relief, blister plasters
• N95 or KN95 masks (for high pollution days or crowded spaces)

Documents (physical copies)

• Passport photocopy
• Travel insurance policy summary + emergency number
• Hotel addresses in Chinese characters (printed or screenshotted)
• Train and flight confirmation printouts

Optional but useful

• Small day pack or foldable bag for sightseeing
• Reusable water bottle (refill at hotel; don't drink tap)
• Wet wipes and hand sanitiser (many public toilets lack soap)
• Pocket tissues (some public toilets don't provide paper)

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11. Cultural Preparation

A few norms to know before you go. They'll make daily interactions smoother.

Dining Chinese restaurant culture is communal — dishes are shared and placed at the centre of the table. Expect noise, busy atmospheres, and fast service. It's normal to wave at a server or call out "服务员" (fú wù yuán) to get their attention. Hot tea is often free and automatically refilled.[2]

Tipping Tipping is not customary in China and isn't expected at restaurants, taxis, or most services. In international hotels and some high-end places, a service charge may already be on the bill. Offering tips can sometimes cause confusion or awkwardness.[2]

Public Toilets Most tourist sites now have Western-style sit-down toilets, but squat toilets are still common in older areas and rural spots. Carry tissues and hand sanitiser. Some public toilets charge a small fee (1–2 RMB).[2]

Crowds China's major tourist sites are genuinely very crowded, especially on weekends and holidays. The Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, and West Lake in Hangzhou will be busy regardless of the season. Arrive at opening time (usually 8am–9am) to see the highlights before the tour groups arrive.[11]

Queuing Queue discipline varies. At busy attractions and metro stations, the line can get loose. Be patient, hold your ground politely, and use elbows sparingly. Metro rush hour in Beijing and Shanghai is intense.[2]

Photography Photos are fine at most outdoor sites but restricted inside many museum exhibition halls. Look for "no photography" signs (禁止拍照) and respect them — staff will ask you to stop if you don't.[2]

Mobile-First Society China runs on phones. Menus come from QR codes, payments from phones, tickets as QR codes, maps on screens. Going with this rather than fighting it makes everything faster and easier.[1]

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12. Final 48-Hour Checklist

In the two days before your flight, run through every item:

Payment

• Alipay QR payment code tested and working
• WeChat Pay set up as backup
• Bank notified to allow China/Ant Group transactions
• RMB cash obtained or plan confirmed for ATM withdrawal on arrival

Apps and Technology

• All apps downloaded and logged in
• Offline map tiles downloaded for your first city
• Offline Chinese (Simplified) language pack in Google Translate confirmed
• eSIM activated and data connection tested; or VPN working on all devices
• Phone fully charged; portable charger packed and charged

Documents

• Passport checked — valid, in your bag
• Visa or transit eligibility confirmed
• All hotel confirmation screenshots saved offline
• Train and flight confirmations accessible without internet
• Travel insurance documents saved offline
• Hotel addresses in Chinese saved to camera roll

Logistics

• First airport transfer confirmed (Didi, pre-booked car, or metro route memorised)
• Arrival route to first hotel planned
• First hotel check-in time confirmed
• Emergency contacts written on paper

Attractions

• All pre-booked attraction tickets confirmed and accessible on phone
• Screenshot backups of all ticket QR codes

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13. Conclusion

The difference between a frustrating China trip and a smooth one comes down to what you do before you board. The country itself is safe, fascinating, and increasingly easy to get around — but it runs on infrastructure that needs a different kind of preparation than most travel.[1]

Payment, maps, translation, and internet access are the four pillars. Get those right — register Alipay at home, download Amap, install Google Translate's offline pack, sort your eSIM or VPN — and you arrive with the same digital toolkit a billion people use every day. Everything after that is discovery.[2]