Yes — Google Translate (with VPN) or offline Pleco cover 95%. 4★+ hotels and airports speak English.
Practical Tips for a China Trip: Transport, Money, Connectivity
China digitized faster than Europe in the past 5 years: cash is rare, the metro runs on a QR code on your phone, and Google and WhatsApp are blocked. This is everything a tourist or business traveller needs to know before the first trip.
Transport: metro, trains, taxis
Metro is the fastest way in tier-1 cities.
- Metro: QR via Alipay or paper tokens
- Didi — China's Uber
- CRH bullet trains: book 30 days ahead on 12306.cn
- Bike share Meituan/Hellobike 1.5 CNY/30 min
- Full guide in our transport article
Money & payments
90% cashless via Alipay/WeChat Pay.
- Alipay Tour / WeChat Pay Tour — link a foreign card
- Keep 2000–3000 CNY cash for markets
- Bank of China & ICBC ATMs accept Visa/Mastercard
- Rates at /tools/currency-converter
- Don't bring RUB — bring USD/EUR
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Connectivity: SIM, eSIM, Wi-Fi
Roaming is expensive; eSIM is the winner.
- eSIM: Airalo, Holafly, Nomad from $8
- Physical SIM at airport 100–200 CNY
- Hotel Wi-Fi is free but slow
- Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, ChatGPT are blocked
VPN — set up before you fly
The Great Firewall blocks most Western apps.
- Working: ExpressVPN, Astrill, LetsVPN, Mullvad
- $8–15 / month
- Install TWO services for redundancy
- Chinese alternatives: Baidu, WeChat, Bilibili
- See /blog/vpn-v-kitai
What to pack
Basic checklist:
- Type A/C adapter
- Powerbank up to 20 000 mAh (flight cap 27 000)
- USD/EUR cash + Visa/Mastercard
- Ibuprofen, loperamide, sorbents
- Paper copies of passport & visa
- Umbrella and a light jacket
What to buy in China
Best categories:
- Electronics: Xiaomi, Huawei, DJI — 20–40% cheaper
- Tea: pu-er, oolong, tie-guan-yin
- Silk: Hangzhou and Suzhou
- Ceramics: Jingdezhen
- Bulk: Canton Fair, Yiwu Market
- See /blog/import-z-kitaju
Cultural nuances
Small things that help:
- Bargain on markets — 2–3× drop is normal
- Pouring tea for guests is standard
- Never stand chopsticks upright in rice
- Exchange business cards with both hands
- Translation: Google Translate (with VPN) or offline Pleco
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10+ years of experience in China visa support and business travel. Author of 40+ articles.
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Tourist: 600–1200 CNY/day. Business: 1500–3000 CNY/day. See /tools/trip-budget.
Yes at 4★+ hotels, airports, and via Alipay Tour / WeChat Pay Tour almost everywhere.
Yes. Install ExpressVPN or Astrill BEFORE you enter China.
Tourist L visa. See /visa/tourist.
General entry requires a visa. The only visa-free option is the 240-hour transit (since Dec 2024) to a third country. Check /tools/visa-calculator.