# First Time in China? 20 Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me
The first time I landed in China, I was 23 years old and had done exactly zero preparation. I didn’t have a VPN. I didn’t know that Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, and basically everything I used to navigate the world would be blocked. I didn’t know that cash was already becoming obsolete. I didn’t know that my credit card would be about as useful as a library card.
I figured it out—eventually. But I wasted days fumbling through things that could have taken minutes if someone had just told me what to expect. This guide is what I wish I’d had. It’s not a list of tourist attractions. It’s the practical stuff that actually determines whether your trip goes smoothly or becomes a series of small frustrations.
I’ve updated everything for 2026, and the good news is that visiting China has never been easier for foreign travelers. The visa situation has improved dramatically, mobile payments now work with foreign cards, and infrastructure has only gotten better. But there are still things you need to know.
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## Before You Go
### 1. Check Your Visa Options—They’re Better Than You Think
This is the single biggest change in recent years, and it’s good news. As of 2026, China has dramatically expanded its visa-free access:
**30-Day Visa-Free Entry (Unilateral):** As of February 2026, passport holders from 50 countries—including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, most of Europe, and several Asian and South American nations—can enter China for up to 30 days without a visa. This policy is currently valid until December 31, 2026. Notably, the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada are NOT on this list—but they are covered by the transit policy below.
**240-Hour (10-Day) Transit Visa-Free:** Passport holders from 55 countries—including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia—can enter China for up to 10 days without a visa, as long as they’re transiting to a third country. This means you can’t fly New York → Beijing → New York, but you CAN fly New York → Beijing → Tokyo. The policy covers 24 provinces and 65 entry ports. You can enter through one city and exit through another—New York → Beijing → Shanghai → Tokyo works perfectly.
**Important:** The 240-hour clock starts at midnight on the day after your arrival, not at landing time. If you land at 8 PM, you effectively get nearly 11 days. At immigration, use the term “Transit Without Visa” or “TWOV”—not “Transit Visa,” which airline staff might misinterpret as requiring a physical document.
**What about regular tourist visas?** If you don’t qualify for either of the above, or if you want to stay longer, you’ll need an L (tourist) visa. Apply at your local Chinese Visa Application Service Center (visaforchina.cn). The process typically takes 4-7 business days, costs around $140 for US citizens, and requires a passport valid for at least six months with two blank pages.
### 2. Sort Out Your Internet Before You Leave
China’s internet firewall (the Great Firewall) blocks Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter/X, and many news sites. You cannot access these without a VPN.
**Install a VPN before you arrive.** You won’t be able to download one once you’re in China. Not all VPNs work reliably in China, and the situation changes frequently. As of 2026, the most consistently reliable options are ExpressVPN, AstrillVPN, and LetsVPN. Install the app, purchase a subscription, and test it before your flight. Have a backup VPN installed too—services sometimes go down temporarily.
**Alternatively, use an eSIM with built-in VPN.** Some travel eSIM providers, like Holafly, offer China plans that include a built-in VPN, meaning you can access blocked sites without installing a separate VPN app. This is a great option if you want simplicity. Other eSIM options include Nomad and Airalo, which offer data-only plans for China—but these don’t include VPN, so you’ll still need a separate VPN for accessing blocked sites.
**Or get a local SIM with a travel plan.** China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom all offer short-term tourist SIMs at airports and official stores. You’ll need your passport to register. Prices are reasonable—expect to pay around 100-200 RMB for a month of data. But remember: a local SIM doesn’t bypass the firewall, so you still need a VPN.
### 3. Download Essential Apps Before You Go
Some apps you can’t download once you’re in China (because they’re blocked). Others are essential for navigating daily life. Here’s what to install before departure:
**Must-have before you fly:**
– A VPN app (see above)
– WeChat (微信, Wēixìn): The everything app. Messaging, payments, mini-programs for ordering food, booking trains, and more. You’ll use it constantly.
– Alipay (支付宝, Zhīfùbǎo): The other major payment app. Set up both—having a backup is smart.
**Can download in China, but easier to do beforehand:**
– Pleco: The essential Chinese-English dictionary. Offline functionality, character recognition, and flashcards. Free version is excellent.
– Google Translate (or Baidu Translate): Download the Chinese language pack for offline use. Google Translate’s camera translation feature is a lifesaver for menus and signs.
– DiDi (滴滴出行, Dīdī Chūxíng): The Chinese equivalent of Uber. Available in English. Links to Alipay or WeChat Pay for payment.
– Baidu Maps (百度地图, Bǎidù Dìtú): Google Maps technically works in China but is often inaccurate. Baidu Maps is the local alternative. The interface is Chinese-only, but if you can navigate it, the data is far more reliable.
– Trip.com: For booking trains, flights, and hotels in English. Accepts foreign credit cards.
– MetroMan or ExploreMetro: Subway maps for major Chinese cities. Offline, English, and incredibly useful.
### 4. Set Up Mobile Payments Before You Arrive
China is effectively a cashless society. In major cities, even street food vendors and small fruit stalls accept mobile payments. Cash is still legal tender, but it’s becoming increasingly inconvenient—some places don’t have change, and paying with cash can slow things down.
**The good news:** Alipay and WeChat Pay now support foreign credit cards. As of 2026, both apps allow you to link Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and other international cards directly. The setup process has improved significantly from the frustrating experience of a few years ago.
**How to set up:**
1. Download Alipay and/or WeChat
2. Register with your phone number
3. Go to Settings → Payment → Add Card
4. Link your international credit card
5. Complete identity verification (you’ll need to take a photo of your passport)
**Important:** There’s usually a transaction limit for foreign cards (around 3,000 RMB per transaction, with a 200 RMB limit for small transactions without additional verification). For larger purchases, have multiple payment methods ready. Also, some smaller merchants only accept WeChat Pay, not Alipay, or vice versa—having both apps set up is worth the effort.
### 5. Book Your Accommodation Strategically
Not all hotels in China can accept foreign guests. By law, hotels must register foreign guests with local police, and some smaller or budget hotels don’t have the license to do this. When booking, look for hotels that explicitly state they accept foreign guests. On Trip.com and Booking.com, this is usually indicated. If you’re unsure, call or message the hotel before booking.
**What to bring:** Your hotel will need your passport to register you with the local police. This is standard procedure and happens at every hotel. If you’re staying at a friend’s place, you technically need to register with the local police station yourself within 24 hours of arrival—though enforcement varies.
**Accommodation options:** International hotel chains (Marriott, Hilton, IHG) are reliable and widely available in cities. Chinese chains like Hanting (汉庭) and Home Inn (如家) are more affordable and generally fine. Boutique hotels and traditional courtyard hotels (particularly in Beijing’s hutongs) offer a more atmospheric experience.
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## Getting Around
### 6. Embrace the High-Speed Rail
China’s high-speed rail network is world-class—over 50,000 kilometers of track, trains running at 350 km/h, departure punctuality over 99%. For distances between 500 and 1,500 kilometers, the train is almost always better than flying: city-center stations, no security lines, no baggage fees, and a smooth, quiet ride.
**How to book:** Trip.com is the easiest option for foreign travelers. Full English interface, accepts international cards, and customer service in English. The official 12306 app also has an English version but can be finicky with foreign cards.
**The 15-day rule:** Train tickets go on sale 15 days before departure. Popular routes (Beijing–Shanghai, Beijing–Xi’an) sell out quickly, especially during holidays. Set a calendar reminder for the 15-day mark.
**At the station:** Arrive 60-90 minutes early for your first time. Stations are large, and passport verification is done manually at a special counter—you can’t use the automated gates that Chinese citizens use with their ID cards. Look for the “Manual Channel” or staff-assisted lane. You’ll need your passport and booking confirmation.
**Seat classes:** Second class (二等座) is perfectly comfortable for most journeys—it’s comparable to premium economy on a plane. First class (一等座) offers more legroom and wider seats, worth the upgrade for journeys over 4 hours. Business class (商务座) is luxurious but typically 3x the price of second class.
### 7. Use DiDi for Taxis
DiDi is the Chinese Uber and it’s excellent. The app has an English version, the fares are reasonable, and you don’t need to negotiate with drivers or explain your destination in Chinese. You can link it to Alipay or WeChat Pay.
**Traditional taxis** are also widely available and metered. In major cities, taxi drivers rarely speak English, so have your destination written in Chinese characters or show them on a map. Taxis are metered and relatively cheap—a 20-minute ride in Beijing costs around 30-40 RMB ($4-6 USD).
**Avoid unlicensed taxis** at airports and train stations. They’ll approach you in the arrivals hall offering rides. Ignore them and use DiDi or the official taxi queue.
### 8. Master the Subway
Chinese city subways are clean, modern, efficient, and incredibly cheap—typically 3-9 RMB ($0.40-1.25 USD) per ride. They’re also the best way to avoid traffic, which can be brutal in cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
**Navigation:** Signs and announcements are in both Chinese and English. Station names are displayed on electronic screens inside the carriage. MetroMan and ExploreMetro are excellent offline apps for planning routes.
**Payment:** You can buy single-journey tickets at vending machines (English interface available), but it’s easier to use Alipay—most city subway systems now support Alipay’s QR code for entry. Just scan and go.
**Pro tip:** Avoid rush hour (roughly 7:30-9:00 AM and 5:30-7:00 PM) unless you want to experience what it feels like to be a sardine. Beijing’s Line 1 and Shanghai’s Line 2 during rush hour are not for the faint of heart.
### 9. Consider Internal Flights for Long Distances
For journeys over 1,500 kilometers, flying is often more practical than the train. China’s domestic airlines—Air China, China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines—are reliable and frequent. Book through Trip.com for the easiest English-language experience.
**Be aware of delays.** Chinese domestic flights are more prone to delays than the high-speed rail. If you’re on a tight schedule, the train is often the safer bet for medium distances.
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## Money and Payments
### 10. Cash Is Nearly Obsolete, but Carry Some Anyway
As I mentioned, mobile payments dominate. But carrying a small amount of cash (500-1,000 RMB, roughly $70-140 USD) is still wise. You might need it for:
– Small vendors who don’t have the right payment setup for foreign cards
– Rural areas and smaller towns where mobile payment infrastructure is less developed
– Emergencies where your phone dies or your app malfunctions
**ATMs** are widely available and most accept foreign cards (look for the Visa/Mastercard logos). Bank of China and ICBC ATMs are the most reliable for foreign cards. The exchange rate is generally fair, but your home bank may charge a foreign transaction fee.
**Currency exchange** is available at airports, major banks, and some hotels. The rates at airports are poor—exchange a small amount there and get the rest from a bank ATM in the city.
### 11. Carry Your Passport Everywhere
Your passport is your lifeline in China. You’ll need it for:
– Hotel check-in
– Train station entry
– Buying a SIM card
– Entering certain tourist attractions (some require ID)
– Random police checks (rare in tourist areas, but possible)
Keep your passport in a secure place—a zipped inner pocket or a hotel safe. Having a photocopy or a photo on your phone is useful as a backup, but it won’t replace the physical document for most purposes.
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## Food and Drink
### 12. Don’t Drink the Tap Water
This is not negotiable. Tap water in China is not safe to drink. Even locals boil it or use bottled water. Hotels typically provide bottled water or an electric kettle—use the kettle to boil tap water if you need to.
**Bottled water** is cheap and available everywhere. A 1.5-liter bottle costs about 2-3 RMB ($0.30-0.40 USD) at convenience stores.
**Ice** is generally safe in reputable restaurants and hotels—they use purified water—but you might want to skip it at street food stalls.
### 13. Eating Out: A Survival Guide
Chinese restaurant culture can be intimidating if you don’t speak the language, but it’s not as hard as it looks.
**Picture menus are your friend.** Many restaurants, especially in tourist areas, have menus with photos. Point at what you want. This is completely normal and acceptable.
**Translation apps are essential.** Google Translate’s camera mode can translate printed menus in real time. It’s not perfect—it will sometimes produce baffling translations like “husband and wife lung slice” (夫妻肺片, a famous Sichuan cold dish of beef and offal)—but it’s usually enough to avoid ordering something you’ll regret.
**Dietary restrictions:** If you’re vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have food allergies, learn how to say it in Chinese and have it written down. “我是素食者” (Wǒ shì sùshí zhě) means “I am a vegetarian.” For allergies, be specific: “我对花生过敏” (Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn) means “I am allergic to peanuts.” Be aware that concepts like “vegetarian” are less firmly defined in China—dishes described as vegetable-based may still contain small amounts of meat or meat-based broth.
**Food safety:** Chinese street food is generally safe, especially from busy stalls with high turnover. Look for stalls where locals are eating. If a place is packed with Chinese customers, it’s almost certainly fine. Trust the crowd.
### 14. Learn Some Food Etiquette
Chinese dining has its own rhythm, and knowing a few basics will make your experience smoother:
**Sharing is the norm.** Dishes are placed in the center of the table and everyone takes from them. You don’t order your own personal dish—you order several dishes that the whole table shares. Rice or noodles are your personal staple.
**Chopstick etiquette:** Don’t stick your chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice—it resembles incense offerings at a funeral. Don’t point at people with your chopsticks. Don’t use your own chopsticks to take food from shared dishes if serving chopsticks are provided. When you’re not using them, rest them on the chopstick rest or across your bowl.
**The bill:** In China, the person who invites typically pays. If you’re dining with Chinese friends or colleagues, there may be a friendly fight over the bill. As a foreign guest, you may find that people are reluctant to let you pay. This is hospitality, not condescension.
**Tipping:** China does not have a tipping culture. In restaurants, hotels, and taxis, tipping is neither expected nor required. Some high-end hotels catering to Westerners may include a service charge, but otherwise, you pay exactly what’s on the bill.
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## Language and Communication
### 15. You Don’t Need to Speak Chinese, but a Little Goes a Long Way
In major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, you can get by with English in tourist areas, hotels, and international restaurants. But outside these bubbles, English is rare. Even in cities, taxi drivers, small restaurant staff, and market vendors typically speak only Chinese.
**Learn these phrases:**
– 你好 (Nǐ hǎo) — Hello
– 谢谢 (Xièxie) — Thank you
– 这个 (Zhège) — This one (while pointing)
– 多少钱？ (Duōshao qián?) — How much?
– 听不懂 (Tīng bù dǒng) — I don’t understand
– 厕所在哪里？ (Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?) — Where is the bathroom?
– 请帮我 (Qǐng bāng wǒ) — Please help me
**Translation apps are your backup.** Google Translate (with VPN) or Baidu Translate (without VPN) can handle most situations. The voice translation feature works well enough for simple conversations.
### 16. Get a Chinese Phone Number (If You’re Staying a While)
For short trips (under two weeks), an eSIM with data is sufficient. For longer stays, a local Chinese phone number is useful—you’ll need it for some app registrations, restaurant queue systems, and certain services. You can get a prepaid SIM at the airport or at official carrier stores (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom). Bring your passport.
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## Culture and Etiquette
### 17. Personal Space Is Different
China is a densely populated country, and personal space norms reflect this. In crowded places—subways, markets, queues—people will stand closer to you than you might be used to. This is not aggression or rudeness; it’s just normal. Pushing and shoving in crowded situations is also common. Don’t take it personally.
**Queuing** is more relaxed than in the West. People may cut in line in informal settings (bus stops, ticket counters). In more formal settings (airports, train stations), queuing is generally observed.
### 18. Political and Historical Topics: Navigate With Care
This is common sense, but it’s worth stating: avoid discussing sensitive political topics. Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, Tiananmen Square, and criticism of the Chinese government are all topics best avoided. Chinese people have varying opinions on these subjects, but public discussion is constrained, and as a foreign visitor, you’re not in a position to debate them.
### 19. Public Bathrooms: Prepare Yourself
This is the one thing that genuinely shocks most first-time visitors. Public bathrooms in China—especially in older buildings, parks, and rural areas—are often squat toilets, not Western-style seated toilets. They may not have toilet paper, soap, or hand towels.
**Always carry tissues and hand sanitizer.** This is a non-negotiable travel tip for China. You can buy small packs of tissues at any convenience store.
**The good news:** Western-style toilets are increasingly common in newer buildings, shopping malls, international hotels, and upscale restaurants. Major tourist attractions usually have at least one Western toilet. But you’ll still encounter squat toilets regularly, especially if you travel beyond the main tourist areas.
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## Health and Safety
### 20. China Is Remarkably Safe—With One Exception
China is one of the safest countries in the world for travelers. Violent crime against foreigners is extremely rare. You can walk around most Chinese cities at night without concern. Pickpocketing exists in crowded tourist areas—as it does anywhere—but it’s not a major problem.
The one exception is traffic. Chinese driving can be aggressive, and pedestrians do not have the right of way (even in crosswalks). Cars, e-bikes, and scooters will not automatically stop for you. When crossing the street, be alert, make eye contact with drivers, and don’t assume anyone will yield. Look both ways even on one-way streets—e-bikes often go the wrong direction.
**Air quality:** Beijing and some northern cities can have heavy air pollution, especially in winter. Check the AQI (Air Quality Index) and wear an N95 or KN95 mask on bad days. Shanghai and southern cities generally have better air. The situation has improved significantly over the past decade, but it’s still worth monitoring.
**Health insurance:** Make sure you have travel insurance that covers medical care in China. International hospitals in major cities (like Beijing United Family Hospital and Shanghai’s Parkway Health) provide Western-standard care but are expensive. Public hospitals are cheaper but may have limited English-speaking staff.
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## A Final Note
I’ve been traveling to and living in China for over a decade, and here’s what I’ve learned: China will surprise you. It won’t be what you expect—not entirely. The cities are more modern than you imagine. The food is better than you’ve heard. The infrastructure—the trains, the subways, the airports—is world-class in ways that put many Western countries to shame.
But it’s also chaotic and confusing and sometimes exhausting. The language barrier is real. The internet restrictions are frustrating. The crowds in major tourist sites can be overwhelming. Some days, everything will feel like a battle.
On those days, remember: you’re not in a broken version of the West. You’re in China, which operates on its own logic. The faster you accept that, the faster you’ll start enjoying it.
The China that exists in 2026 is more open, more accessible, and more welcoming to foreign visitors than at any point in modern history. The visa-free policies, the mobile payment improvements, the expanding English-language infrastructure—all of this reflects a country that genuinely wants you to visit. Take advantage of it.
And one more thing: bring comfortable shoes. You’ll walk more than you think.