China runs on QR codes, not cash or cards
Street stalls, taxis, temples — nearly everything is paid by scanning a QR code in an app. A foreign Visa or Mastercard physically swipes in almost nowhere except big hotels and high-end malls, so the apps below are your money.
Set up Alipay
The easiest wallet for visitors. Download the mainland app, register with your home phone number, verify with a passport photo, and link a Visa/Mastercard. No Chinese bank account needed. Takes 10–30 min.
Add WeChat Pay
Set it up second. It also takes a foreign card, but is more likely to ask for extra verification — handy because some small merchants and mini-programs lean on WeChat.
Carry a little cash
Keep ~500–1,000 RMB and a second physical card as a fallback for the rare spot that won't take your app. Skip prepaid "Tour Cards" — they add a ~5% fee and are being phased out.
Fees & limits
Small purchases are usually fee-free; larger ones can carry around a 3% fee (some cities are waiving it). Tell your bank you're travelling so the first payment doesn't get blocked as "suspicious".
Getting online past the Great Firewall
Mainland China blocks Google (search, Maps, Gmail, Translate), YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and X. How you get internet decides whether those apps work at all — so this is worth getting right before you fly.
Use a travel eSIM
A travel eSIM (Nomad, Airalo, Holafly and others) routes your data through servers outside China, so Google, WhatsApp and maps just work — no VPN needed. Install it before you land; you can't download the profile without a connection.
A local SIM still needs a VPN
A Chinese SIM routes through the domestic internet, so you'd need a VPN to reach blocked apps — and VPNs can't be downloaded once you're inside China. If you go this route, install two VPNs at home and test them first — reliability varies and no single one always works.
Keep your home SIM on too
Run dual-SIM: your home number stays active to receive the SMS codes Alipay and WeChat send, while the eSIM handles data. Turn off home data roaming to avoid surprise charges.
Hong Kong & Macau are different
No firewall there — every Western app works normally with no eSIM or VPN tricks. The mainland rules only apply once you cross into the mainland.
Getting around
There's no Uber and no Google Maps, but the local equivalents are excellent and mostly work in English once your wallet is set up.
DiDi (China's Uber)
English interface, pay through your linked card. You don't even need the separate app — search "DiDi" inside Alipay or WeChat. Drivers rarely speak English, so pin your exact spot (e.g. "hotel main entrance").
Scan to ride
Open Alipay's Transport tab, set it up once per city, and scan the QR at the turnstile. You can't tap a foreign Visa at the gate, so set this up before your first ride.
High-speed rail via Trip.com
Book bullet trains in English with your passport and a foreign card on Trip.com. The official 12306 app is Chinese-only and fiddly. Bring your passport — it's both your ticket and your security ID at the station.
Apple Maps or Amap
Google Maps fails on a local connection. Apple Maps works well in cities; Amap (Gaode) is what locals use and has some English. Tip: copy your destination in Chinese to paste into DiDi.
Ordering food & reading menus
You'll often order by scanning a QR at the table rather than flagging a waiter — and delivery to your hotel is fast, cheap and everywhere.
Meituan & Ele.me
The two big delivery apps are tricky to register with a foreign number — so open them as mini-programs inside Alipay or WeChat instead, where your existing login carries over.
Scan-to-order & translate
Many restaurants have you scan a table QR to order and pay. Menu in Chinese only? Use Alipay/WeChat's built-in scan-translate, or point Pleco's camera at it.
Dianping = local Yelp
Dianping (大众点评) shows ratings, photos and popular dishes for places near you. Cross-check our city guides for spots that are genuinely worth your limited days.
Local habits that catch first-timers out
None of these are dealbreakers — they're just the small, unwritten things it helps to expect.
Bag scan at every metro
Every metro entrance has an airport-style X-ray for your bag. It's quick — just budget a minute and don't carry anything obviously prohibited.
Carry your passport
Keep it on you. You'll need it to check into hotels (they register foreign guests), to enter train stations, and at some attractions. A photo isn't always enough.
Tipping isn't a thing
Tipping isn't customary in restaurants or taxis — no need, and it can even cause confusion. The price you see is the price you pay.
Don't drink the tap water
Stick to bottled or boiled water. Hotels and trains have hot-water dispensers everywhere — locals carry a flask for tea.
Squat toilets & BYO tissue
Public toilets are often squat-style and may not stock paper. Carry a small pack of tissues and some hand sanitiser.
Big sights need booking
Headline sights (the Forbidden City, some museums) require advance reservation with your passport and sell out. Check each city guide and book a few days ahead.
Register within 24 hours
Hotels register you with the police automatically. If you stay in an Airbnb or with friends, the law says you must register your address at the local police station within 24 hours of arriving (bring your passport). It's quick and free — just don't skip it.
Emergency numbers
110 police · 120 ambulance · 119 fire. For visa or entry questions, the National Immigration hotline 12367 has English support.