Articles · 6 articles
Before you go
Visas, internet, payments, tickets and maps – what to sort out before you fly.
- 1.1
Internet in China: VPNs, eSIMs and apps that actually work
Internet in China: an Airalo eSIM or a cheaper one from Alipay, when you need a VPN, what's blocked and which apps Chinese people actually use.
11 min read - 1.2
How to pay in China: Alipay and WeChat Pay step by step
Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay, link your own card and dodge the 3% fee: our trick of paying in ¥200 chunks, plus multi-currency cards like Revolut and Zen.
7 min read - 1.3
Hotels, trains and flights: Trip.com, Booking and 12306 – your passport is your ticket
How to book hotels, trains, flights and attractions in China: Trip.com in English, 12306, your hotel address on the arrival card and the passport that is your ticket.
7 min read - 1.4
China without Google Maps: how not to get lost
Why Google Maps in China puts you hundreds of metres off, what to use instead (Amap, Baidu Maps, Apple Maps) and 10 Chinese phrases for taxi drivers.
10 min read - 1.5
China visa-free 2026 and 2027: who can visit without a visa and for how long
China visa-free in 2027? The 30-day policy for 50 countries runs until 31 Dec 2026; renewals come in November. Who qualifies, day counting, 240-hour transit.
12 min read - 1.6
Time in China: one time zone for the whole country
What time is it in China? Beijing Time (UTC+8) all year, the time difference with the UK, Europe and the US, why China has only one time zone, Xinjiang time and beating jet lag.
7 min read
Prefer a ready-made route?
Our travel plans put everything in one PDF: a day-by-day route, transport, addresses in Chinese and tried-and-tested places to eat. See our China travel plans.