Your first week in China: the survival guide

✅ Updated Jun 2026

Landing in China for the first time can feel like stepping onto a different operating system: the apps are different, the payment is different, and the open internet you are used to works differently. The good news is that once you set up a few things in your first day or two, daily life becomes remarkably smooth. Here is what actually matters, in order. Payments come first. China is effectively cashless, and almost everything — restaurants, taxis, metro, tiny street stalls — is paid with a QR code through Alipay or WeChat. Both apps now let foreign visitors link an international Visa or Mastercard directly, so you can pay like a local without a Chinese bank account. Set this up before you leave the airport if you can; it removes 90% of the friction of your trip. Connectivity is second. Popular Western services such as Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Gmail are not reachable on the normal mainland internet, so plan ahead: many travelers buy a travel eSIM whose data routes internationally, or arrange access before arrival. At minimum, download offline maps and translation before you land. Note that Google Maps is unreliable inside China — use Apple Maps (which works well) or the local Amap/Gaode. Getting around is easier than it looks. Every big city has a clean, cheap, English-signed metro, and you can ride it by scanning a QR code in Alipay. For door-to-door trips, DiDi (China's ride-hailing app, with an English interface) is inexpensive and avoids all language friction because you type the destination. High-speed trains between cities are world-class and are best booked on Trip.com or the official 12306 app with your passport. A few housekeeping items round out week one. If you are staying in a hotel, your address is registered with the police automatically at check-in; if you are staying in a private home or short-term rental, you are required to register at the local police station within 24 hours. Carry your passport — you will need it for train stations, some hotels, and SIM purchases. And keep a little cash for the rare place that still needs it. Do these five things and China opens up: set up mobile payment, sort out connectivity, install the local transport and map apps, learn to scan a QR code for everything, and keep your passport handy. Everything else you can figure out one dumpling at a time.

1. 1

   Install Alipay and WeChat and link an international card so you can pay by QR code everywhere.

2. 2

   Sort out connectivity before you land (travel eSIM or equivalent); download offline maps + translation first.

3. 3

   Use Apple Maps or Amap, not Google Maps, for directions inside China.

   高德地图 · gāo dé dì tú

4. 4

   Install DiDi for taxis and ride the metro by scanning a QR code in Alipay.

5. 5

   Register with the local police within 24 hours if you are not in a hotel; always carry your passport.