China TrapsPlay the 5-minute game →
First trip to China: straight answers
The things that trip up first-time visitors are small and fixable: paying, getting online, booking trains and tickets. Each page below answers one question and tells you what to do before you fly.
Can I use Visa or Mastercard in China?How to set up Alipay or WeChat Pay as a foreignerDoes Google Maps work in China? Internet, eSIM and blocked appsHow to buy train tickets in China as a foreignerTerracotta Army tickets: how to book and how to get thereXi'an tourist traps: 7 things first-timers fall forShaanxi History Museum tickets: why they are always "gone"Mount Hua (Huashan) day trip from Xi'an: what to knowFirst trip to China: the checklist to finish before you landApps to download before travelling to China
Prefer to find out the fun way? Plan a trip to Xi'an and see which traps catch you.
Play free: 5 minutesLast reviewed 2026-11. Rules change; confirm with official sources before you travel.