China Travel FAQ: Your Essential Guide for First-Timers

Traveling to China can be challenging, even for the most seasoned travelers. In this quick guide, I try to answer the most common questions for first-time travelers to China.

Not too long ago, I wrote a comprehensive Travel Guide to China, that explains how to organize your holiday. In this shorter guide, I will address some of the most common questions people have asked me. I hope you will find this helpful.

Where can I book hotels, trains, and airplane tickets?

There is only really one option in English: Trip.com. You can find hotels and some flights on apps like Booking, but the prices are much higher, and you’ll find fewer options. Some hotels refuse to host foreigners because they say they lack a “special license”, but as I explained here, this is not true.

Train tickets are also available on the official China Railway website and app. You won’t have to pay any commission, but you must go to any train station to validate your account in person. So, unless you are already in China, I don’t recommend this option.

Train tickets are available only up to 15 days before the departure date. Some online agencies claim they can book them 30 days in advance, but that’s not true. Unlike in Europe, tickets have a fixed price, and it doesn’t matter whether you buy them 15 days or 1 day in advance. You can also cancel them for free up to 48 hours before departure.

Do I need to go to print my train ticket?

You don’t need a physical train ticket anymore. All you need is your passport. Your ticket is linked to the passport you used to purchase it, and you will scan your passport before boarding the train. Actually, from October 1, 2025, you won’t be able to print the ticket even if you want to.

Which Apps do I need in China?

Understanding which app to use in China is probably the most challenging part of arranging your trip. Most foreign apps are blocked in China.

The most important Apps that you will need to use while in China are:

• WeChat: the real-time messaging app people use to chat. It can also be used to pay for pretty much everything: just link your credit card to WeChat Pay. It has a built-in function to translate chat messages into your phone’s default language. You really can’t survive in China without WeChat. One important thing: to activate your WeChat account, you might need to ask someone with an active account to scan your new WeChat QR code. It doesn’t always happen, though.
• Alipay: is used to make online payments, and unlike WeChat Pay, it works with most foreign debit and credit cards. You can also use Alipay to pay for your subway or bus ride and to rent one of the regular or electric bikes you’ll see in most cities. Alipay can also be used to translate text and messages.
• Didi: is one of the several apps used in China to call a taxi. Didi is the app I recommend because it’s in English. You can also find this as a mini-app (an app inside another app) in WeChat and Alipay.
• Trip.com: I mentioned Trip already. It’s simply the best app in English to book everything for your trips in China. The only thing you won’t be able to book is public buses. At the moment, only people with a Chinese ID card are allowed to book them online. Foreigners will have to go to the bus station in person.
• Maps.me: this is a good alternative to Google Maps since it’s updated and can be used offline. The main issue is that you won’t find information about public transportation. If you have an iPhone, you can use Apple Maps.

Is English commonly used?

No, English is not commonly spoken, especially outside bigger cities like Shanghai. You’ll need a translator to communicate, and you can use the mini-app inside Alipay.

Can I use cash?

Yes, you can. However, cash has virtually disappeared since everyone uses WeChat or Alipay. Most of the time, if you show the 100 RMB bill (the highest denomination in China), people will say they don’t have any change. So it’s just impractical to use cash, even though it’s technically possible.

You can withdraw cash from most ATMs, and I recommend the Bank of China since it’s usually the bank that works even with less popular ATM cards.

Where can I buy a Chinese SIM card?

If your phone supports e-SIMs, you can use Holafly. The advantage of this option is that it doesn’t require a VPN. If your phone doesn’t support e-SIMs, you’ll have to buy one in a store in the city where you land. Remember to bring your passport and be patient. There are only three phone carriers in China: China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Mobile. There is little difference between them. Alternatively, you can buy a SIM card here and get it delivered to your hotel or airport.

How to use the Internet in China?

As I said, you will lose access to almost every app you install on your phone without a VPN. Remember to download the app before travelling. ExpressVPN doesn’t work anymore.

• Astrill: this is one of the most popular VPNs in China because it works very well.
• Mullvad: focuses on privacy thanks to its no-logs policy. It’s also much cheaper and works well. You can download it here.
• Shadowsocks: this is a relatively new encryption protocol that’s more advanced than a regular proxy. Configuring it requires some knowledge, so I only recommend it to tech-savvy people. However, what it offers is quite cheap.

When is the best time to travel to China?

Given the country’s size, this is a broad question. It’s easier to tell you when the worst time to travel there is. Avoid the Chinese New Year, the Labor Holiday (first week of May), and the National Holiday (first week of October) at all costs.

Then, as a general rule of thumb, Winters are cold, and you’ll feel it especially south of the Yangtze River because there is no heating system. Northern China is much colder, but all indoor places are heated. In Winter, you might want to consider traveling to Yunnan.

Summers are generally hot and very humid, and it can rain quite a lot. The Tibetan Plateau has pleasant temperatures, though you might still encounter rain there, less than in other areas. Another region where you won’t find rain is Xinjiang, but it will be extremely hot.

Do I need a Travel Agency?

For most people and destinations, the simple answer is no. There are a few exceptions, such as remote places like Dulongjiang, or most areas in Western Sichuan, where it’s very difficult to get there without a driver. As a rule of thumb, if it’s possible to arrive in an area using public transportation easily, it means that you’ll also find plenty of tourists.

Are scams common?

If you compare China to the rest of Asia, scams and pickpocketing are not that common, thanks to the unlimited number of cameras. Just follow the most common rules, and you should be fine. One of the most common scams is taxi drivers asking for more money than you actually should give them.

Can I fly a drone in China?

Yes, you can, but recently, many new restrictions have been implemented. Furthermore, all drones have to be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority. Even if the official website is bilingual, you can only register using the Chinese version. You’ll also need a Chinese phone number to authenticate your login. The other main limitation is the maximum altitude of 120 meters. Since registering your drone in China is complicated, I recommend using this service.

Remember that every city has its own rules. For example, all drones are banned in Beijing. Meanwhile, you can fly in Shanghai, but you must register every flight with the police using a mini app on Alipay. Here, you can find more information about Worldwide drone regulations.

If you have more questions, you can send me a DM on Instagram.

Here is my Zhangjiajie Travel Guide. And here is my guide to Furong, a beautiful Ancient Town nestled around a waterfall.