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First trip to China: the checklist to finish before you land

Four things are easy from your sofa and hard from a Chinese street corner: a working payment app, mobile data that loads your usual apps, train tickets, and reservations for the big sights. Sort those and the rest of the trip is straightforward.

Two weeks before

  1. Check whether you need a visa or qualify for visa-free entry or transit.
  2. Set up Alipay (and optionally WeChat Pay) with your passport and a Visa or Mastercard.
  3. Book long-distance trains as soon as sales open, about 15 days ahead.
  4. Reserve the sights that sell out: the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army, popular museums.

The week before

  1. Buy and install a travel eSIM.
  2. Install a local map app, a translation app with offline packs, and a ride-hailing option.
  3. Save your hotel names and addresses in Chinese characters.
  4. Tell your bank you are travelling.

In your bag

  1. Your passport, everywhere: it is your train ticket and your entry ticket.
  2. Some cash in small notes.
  3. A power bank. Your phone is now your wallet.

What goes wrong

"I will figure it out when I get there". The first evening goes on finding Wi-Fi to install the apps that need Wi-Fi.
Leaving the passport at the hotel. No train, no museum, no ticket pickup.
A dead phone. No wallet, no map, no translator.

The game takes about five minutes and tells you which of these you would have missed.

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Quick questions

Is China hard to travel independently?

Not once payments and internet work. Transport is excellent and cities are safe.

How much Chinese do I need?

None, with a translation app. Having addresses in Chinese characters matters more than speaking.

More answers

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 there

Last reviewed 2026-11. Payment, ticketing and entry rules in China change often; confirm details with the official app or site before you travel. This page is general travel information, not professional advice.