China Travel Basics Checklist
A compact checklist for the parts of China travel that confuse first-time visitors most: arrival, phone setup, payment, internet, transport, booking, budget, shopping, and key rules to know before you go.
Essential pre-trip checklist.
- Fill out the online arrival card before landing — saves time at immigration.
- Book the Forbidden City 7 days ahead online. No walk-up tickets. Check other major sites too.
- Check the 2026 holiday calendar — national holidays mean sold-out transport, sky-high prices, and packed attractions.
- Set up Alipay and/or WeChat Pay before departure. Bring backup bank cards and some cash.
- Get an eSIM or SIM and set up VPN before arrival. Download Amap (maps) and translation apps.
- Power banks: must be under 100Wh with a CCC mark for domestic flights — carry-on only, never checked.
- Get a +86 phone number if you need Chinese SMS verification (e.g., for 12306 rail booking).
- No Airbnb — short-term rentals are not legal for foreign tourists. Book licensed hotels.
- No tipping — tipping is not expected in China and can cause confusion.
- Tax refund minimum is ¥200 at participating stores. Keep receipts and passport for departure refund.
- Bring your passport everywhere — it's required for train tickets, hotel check-in, and major attractions.
- Save offline copies of hotel addresses (in Chinese), key phrases, and emergency contacts.
Organize practical information by what you actually need to do.
These sections work as a compact checklist on mobile, while deeper pages carry the official sources, caveats, and city-specific details.
Fill online arrival card, know airport flow, have hotel address ready in Chinese.
eSIM/VPN ready, Amap for maps, translation apps downloaded, Didi for ride-hailing.
Alipay/WeChat Pay set up, backup cards, cash for small vendors. No tipping.
High-speed rail via 12306, metro cards, taxi phrases, power bank under 100Wh for flights.
Forbidden City 7 days ahead, real-name booking with passport, check Monday closures.
Licensed hotels only (no Airbnb), passport check-in required, stay near subway lines.
Know your daily tier, factor in attraction tickets and intercity transport.
¥200 minimum for tax refund, keep receipts, ¥20,000 cash exit cap.
Avoid Golden Week and Spring Festival for popular destinations — book early if traveling then.
This page should stay useful because it stays correct.
If a payment, transport, booking, or passport detail changes, correction feedback matters more than pretending a static guide can know everything.