Your field guide to modern China

China, without
the confusion.

Practical China travel guides for first-time visitors — payments, apps, trains, transport and everyday travel.

Start with the checklist Something not working?

Traveler using a phone in a modern Chinese railway station

Popular nowSet up Alipay Buy train tickets Get an eSIM Use DiDi

Before you fly

Are you China-ready?

Check the essentials. We’ll show you what to fix next.

Find the right steps

What are you trying to do?

Pay in China

Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card.

Get online

Choose an eSIM, SIM or roaming plan.

Book a train

Use 12306 with a foreign passport.

Use DiDi

Request, find and pay for your ride.

Ride the metro

Tickets, QR codes and transfers explained.

Order food

Menus, delivery and useful phrases.

Troubleshooting desk

Something not working?

Start with the exact error. Get the likely cause, the fastest fix and a backup plan.

See every fix

PAYMENTAlipay declined my foreign card→ TRAINS12306 passport verification failed→ RIDESMy DiDi driver can’t find me→ ACCOUNTThe SMS code isn’t arriving→

On the ground

Practical guides by city

Airport arrivals, transport and bookings specific to where you’re going.

ShanghaiPVG · SHA · Metro BeijingPEK · PKX · 7 sights ChengduTFU · CTU · Panda Base ChongqingCKG · Metro · Cableway Xi’anXIY · Metro · Terracotta Army

Checked, not guessed

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PAYMENTS

How to set up Alipay with a foreign card

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Using your passport at a Chinese train station

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