China travel tips
What to sort out before you fly and once you land, grouped by question and in the order a trip asks for them.
1
Trip planning
The months that work, region by region, and the holiday weeks to avoid.
Best time to visit China: weather, regions and holiday weeks
When to visit China, from official climate normals for six cities and the real holiday calendar: the months that work, region by region, and the weeks to avoid.
Updated: · Photo: The China Atlas
China trip cost: a daily budget, line by line
What a trip to China costs in 2026, from hotels and meals to trains, sights and entry: daily budgets and one-, two- and three-week totals, with dated prices.
Updated: · Photo: The China Atlas
2
Entry and visas
Who can enter without a visa, for how long, and what the border asks for.
China visa-free entry: who qualifies and for how long
Which passports get 30 days without a visa, why the United States is not among them, what the border asks for, and what is known about 1 January 2027.
Updated: · Photo: A Chinese ID, CC BY-SA 4.0
Will China’s visa-free policy be extended? What is known
The exemption expires on 31 December 2026 and nothing has been announced for after. What this year’s one precedent shows, and where the decision will appear.
Updated: · Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
3
Phone and internet
Staying online from the moment you land: eSIM, roaming and the apps that need data.
China eSIM: what to buy, how to install it and what it costs
Which eSIM to get for China, how to install it on an iPhone or Android phone, what it costs, and what Chinese law says about VPNs and roaming traffic.
Updated: · Photo: Chainwit., CC BY 4.0
4
Money and payments
Alipay, WeChat Pay, cards and cash, and what each one costs you.
Paying in China: Alipay, WeChat Pay and what they cost
Alipay and WeChat Pay both take foreign cards: free up to 200 yuan, 3% above. The official spending limits, the cash rule and whether you really need both apps.
Updated: · Photo: Fenghua, Unsplash License
5
Getting around
Trains between cities, DiDi and taxis in town: booking, stations, airport pickups and what to expect.
China train tickets: how to book and board as a foreigner
Booking China’s trains on 12306 or Trip.com with a passport: when sales open, what seats cost, refund fees, luggage limits, and how the station works.
Updated: · Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0
Browse
More guides by theme
The cities and regions of China, each with what to see, what needs booking ahead and how to get around.
The festivals and customs a visitor meets in China, with their dates and what they change for a trip.
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