Travel FAQs
China travel FAQs — every answer, verified
Every question a foreign visitor hits in China, answered and verified: visas and visa-free entry, booking attractions with a passport, payments, metros, trains, eSIMs, water, pharmacies and tipping. Each answer states when it was verified and links the official channel.
Visas & entry
China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: 57 Countries and All 65 Ports · China Arrival Card Online Form: How Foreigners File It Before You Fly · China Travel Policy Updates 2026: Visa, Transit and Ticketing Changes
02Entry
How does China's 240-hour visa-free transit work? · Do I need a visa for China in 2026?
03Before you go
Canton Fair 2026 Autumn Session: Dates, Phases and Buyer Survival Guide · China's Public Holidays: The Full 2026 Calendar, and What February 2027 Looks Like · Which apps should I install before flying to China?
04Safety
Is China safe for tourists? What actually goes wrong
05Booking
How do I book Forbidden City tickets as a foreigner? · China Attraction Ticket Release Times: When Every Major Site Opens Bookings (2026) · China Golden Week October 2026: Booking Deadlines and Release Times
06Transport
12306 On-Sale Times by Station: When Train Tickets Actually Drop · Why does 12306 verification fail for foreign passports? · How do I use the Beijing subway with a QR code?
07Paying
Alipay vs WeChat Pay for Foreigners 2026: Which to Set Up First · Can I use a Visa or Mastercard in China? · Using Chinese ATMs with a Foreign Card: Fees, Limits and Cash Backup
08Connectivity
What is the best eSIM for China in 2026? · Are Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp and Google Blocked in China? · Getting a Chinese Phone Number as a Foreign Visitor
09Staying
Buying Medicine in China: Pharmacies, OTC Rules and Delivery · Receiving and Sending Packages in China: Hotels, Lockers and Cainiao · Can You Drink Tap Water in China? What Visitors Should Know
10Food
How do I order food from a QR menu in China? · Do You Tip in China? The Short Answer and the Exceptions
11Emergency
I lost my passport in China — what do I do first?
Visas & entry (8)
- China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: 57 Countries and All 65 Ports
- China Arrival Card Online Form: How Foreigners File It Before You Fly
- China Travel Policy Updates 2026: Visa, Transit and Ticketing Changes
- How to Extend a China Visa or Stay Permit: Steps Before Expiry
- China Visa-Free Countries 2026: The Complete 50-Country List
- What Documents Do You Need to Travel to China: Passport, Visa, Arrival Card and Tickets
- Hainan 30-Day Visa-Free Entry 2026: The Complete 61-Country List
- Accommodation Registration in China for Foreigners: Hotels, Friends and Hosts
Entry (2)
Before you go (7)
- Canton Fair 2026 Autumn Session: Dates, Phases and Buyer Survival Guide
- China's Public Holidays: The Full 2026 Calendar, and What February 2027 Looks Like
- Which apps should I install before flying to China?
- What a China trip costs: verified ticket prices and daily budgets
- China trip itineraries: 7 days, 10 days, and a 240-hour transit route
- Chinese New Year 2027 for Visitors: Dates, What's Known, and the Booking Math
- Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 in China: Dates, Mooncakes and Travel Notes for Visitors
Safety (1)
Booking (6)
- How do I book Forbidden City tickets as a foreigner?
- China Attraction Ticket Release Times: When Every Major Site Opens Bookings (2026)
- China Golden Week October 2026: Booking Deadlines and Release Times
- How do I book Mutianyu Great Wall tickets as a foreigner?
- How do I reserve the Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an?
- How do I book Terracotta Army tickets with a passport?
Transport (8)
- 12306 On-Sale Times by Station: When Train Tickets Actually Drop
- Why does 12306 verification fail for foreign passports?
- How do I use the Beijing subway with a QR code?
- How do I book China high-speed trains with a passport?
- China Metro QR Codes for Foreigners: Every City's Best Method (2026)
- China Train Stations with a Passport: Entry, Gates and E-tickets
- How do I use DiDi without a Chinese phone number?
- Can I use the Shanghai metro with a foreign card?
Paying (9)
- Alipay vs WeChat Pay for Foreigners 2026: Which to Set Up First
- Can I use a Visa or Mastercard in China?
- Using Chinese ATMs with a Foreign Card: Fees, Limits and Cash Backup
- How does the China departure tax refund work?
- Does Alipay work without a Chinese bank account?
- What Foreign Cards Really Cost in China 2026: Fees, Limits and the Cheap Path
- How do I link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay?
- Should I carry cash in China?
- WeChat Pay Unsupported Card: Limits, Fees and Failed Payments
Connectivity (6)
- What is the best eSIM for China in 2026?
- Are Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp and Google Blocked in China?
- Getting a Chinese Phone Number as a Foreign Visitor
- Does Google Maps work in China?
- VPNs and blocked apps in China: what works, what is legal
- Does WhatsApp Work in China? The 2026 Answer for Visitors
Staying (6)
- Buying Medicine in China: Pharmacies, OTC Rules and Delivery
- Receiving and Sending Packages in China: Hotels, Lockers and Cainiao
- Can You Drink Tap Water in China? What Visitors Should Know
- What do I need for hotel check-in in China?
- How to Find Hotels in China That Accept Foreign Guests
- Power Plugs in China: Which Adapter You Actually Need (220V, Types A, C, I)