Before you go
Everything to sort out at home before you fly. It takes one evening, and it saves you a lot of stress once you land.
01When to go
- 1 to 7 October, Golden Week: the whole country is on holiday at the same time.
- Chinese New Year (6 February in 2027) and the week around it. Trains sell out and hotel prices jump.
- The first days of May, the Labour Day holiday.
- July and August: school holidays, so it's crowded, and it's hot.
The sweet spots are spring and autumn, outside those dates. Early September is a great plan: school has just started again in China, and places like Zhangjiajie are almost empty.
02Visa
- Most of Europe, plus the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days.
- The current rule runs until 31 December 2026, and China has extended it every year so far. Check your country on the official list before you book.
- Americans still need a tourist visa for a trip like this one. The 10-day visa-free transit only works if you fly on to a third country, not back home.
03Pay with your phone
- China runs on QR codes. Even street food stalls want Alipay or WeChat Pay, and both take foreign cards.
- Download one at home, sign up with your normal number, verify your passport, then link your Visa or Mastercard.
- Payments up to ¥200 ($28) are free. Above that there is a 3% fee on the whole amount.
- To convert prices in your head: ¥100 is about $14.
- Tell your bank you're travelling, so the first payment doesn't get blocked.
- Keep ¥300 to ¥500 in cash, just in case.
04Internet
- Google, Instagram and WhatsApp are blocked on Chinese networks and on hotel Wi-Fi.
- Get an eSIM for mobile data before you fly, and pick a plan that says Google and WhatsApp work in China. eSIM for China →
- Install a VPN at home too, you can't download one once you're there, and you need it on Chinese Wi-Fi. Astrill is the one that works best in China. It's not cheap, but one month covers the trip. NordVPN is cheaper and makes a good backup, just turn on its obfuscated servers in the settings. Set both up before you leave. Astrill → NordVPN →
- WeChat, Alipay, Trip.com and the maps apps work without any of that.
05Apps to download at home
- Trip.com, for trains, hotels and tickets, all in English. Trip.com →
- Alipay, for payments. You can also order a Didi (the Chinese Uber) inside the app. It's cheap and it's everywhere, use it a lot.
- WeChat, for payments and messages. Some places only take bookings through it.
- Amap, or Apple Maps if you have an iPhone. Google Maps is unreliable in China.
- A translator with Chinese downloaded for offline use, before you leave.
06Trains
- Book on Trip.com (a small fee, all in English) or on 12306, the official site (no fee, but checking your passport takes a few days). Trains on Trip.com →
- Tickets go on sale about 15 days before. For weekends and holidays, book the day they open.
- Your name has to match your passport exactly. Your passport is your ticket.
- Check the station: big cities have several.
- Get there 30 to 45 minutes early for security.
07Hotels
- Hotels register you with the police when you check in. You don't have to do anything.
- Book hotels that say they accept foreign guests, Trip.com shows it. Big hotels always do, but some small budget places still turn foreigners away.
- In a rental or a homestay, you have to register within 24 hours. The host usually helps, and it can now be done online.
08Small things that help
- Plugs are types A, C and I, 220V. Bring a universal adapter.
- Don't drink the tap water. Bottled water is everywhere.
- Carry tissues, a lot of public toilets have no paper.
- No tipping.
- Save your hotel's address in Chinese to show taxi drivers.
- On flights inside China, your power bank needs the Chinese 3C logo, or it gets taken at security. If yours doesn't have it, buy one there.
- China is very safe, even late at night. Emergency numbers: 110 for the police, 120 for an ambulance.