📶 Set it up BEFORE you fly — landing is too late
Stay connected (eSIM & Wi-Fi)
Set it up BEFORE you fly — landing is too late
Step by step
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Get an international eSIM or roaming
Install an international eSIM (Airalo, Holafly, Saily…) or switch on your home carrier's roaming BEFORE departure. That traffic exits via your home country: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram just work — no VPN needed.
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Know what each network does
Hotel/airport/local-SIM Wi-Fi goes through China's network — your usual apps won't connect. International eSIM/roaming is the line that keeps them working. Chinese apps (Alipay, Didi, Amap) work on both.
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Install everything before departure
After landing, app stores and some official sites may be unreachable. Alipay, WeChat, 12306 and this app must already be on your phone.
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Fix wandering location pins
DiDi/Amap pin drifting hundreds of meters? That's map offset + foreign-IP location. Toggle airplane mode, or paste a Chinese address and drop the pin manually.
Good to know
Universal fallback: this app works 100% offline — maps phrases, SOS card and translation don't need any network at all.
Frequently asked questions
Is VPN illegal?
Unapproved VPNs are not legal in China, but enforcement targets sellers and providers — personal tourist use is very rarely penalized (2025 consensus). ChinaPass doesn't provide or recommend specific VPNs.
Local SIM or eSIM?
Local SIM = Chinese internet (filtered). International eSIM/roaming = your home internet (open). For Google Maps/WhatsApp, eSIM wins. Chinese apps run fine on either.
Will my eSIM work underground?
Metro coverage varies by city and line. Load your transit QR before descending — see the Metro guide's “Something went wrong?” section.
If something goes wrong
everything-blocked-after-landing
Landed — Google / WhatsApp / Instagram are all dead
Likely cause: You're on local Wi-Fi or a local SIM: traffic exits inside China, where those services are blocked.
What to do: Switch your data line to the international eSIM/roaming plan you installed before the flight. No eSIM? Buy one at the airport now — and remember this app still works fully offline.
airport-sim-sales-pitch
The airport counter sells a “SIM with built-in VPN”
Likely cause: Usually a Hong Kong/Macau/roaming card pitch — or an overpriced local SIM that's still filtered.
What to do: Ask exactly which network the traffic exits through. If it's not international roaming/overseas exit, walk away and use your eSIM.
no-sms-anywhere
No Chinese number — SMS codes never arrive anywhere
Likely cause: International numbers often can't receive mainland SMS short codes.
What to do: Prefer no-number paths: Alipay international (email + passport), en.12306.cn, Trip.com, the Alipay transit QR. Where you're stuck, show the phrase and ask staff for the manual route.