Your practical guide to China
Guides to payments, internet, hotels and getting around — with the details that matter for visitors from abroad.
Payments, internet & hotels
Alipay
WeChat Pay
Foreign cards · QR payments
Alipay & WeChat · App Store icons Payments
Pay with Alipay & WeChat Pay
Set up mobile payments, link a foreign card and understand which QR codes you can use.
AMap
Maps
DiDi China
Rides
Alipay
Payments
WeChat
Messaging
Everyday apps in China · App Store icons Internet & apps
Get connected. Find your way.
Choose your connection, find maps in English and get to know the apps used in China.
- 大床房
- One large bed
- 双床房
- Two separate beds
- 无窗
- No window
- 内窗
- Internal-facing window
Foreign passport?
Check the property’s guest policy.Room terms & foreign-passport check-in Hotels
Booking a hotel in China: rooms & check-in
Decode Chinese room descriptions and check the hotel’s policy for guests with foreign passports.
Entry, transport & getting around
Check China visa-free options
Start with your passport, then check your route and length of stay.
Book China train tickets
Compare 12306 and Trip.com, from passport verification to boarding.
Check China public holidays
See listed festival dates, confirmed national holiday breaks and arrangements that remain pending.
Check your power bank for flying
Understand capacity limits, CCC/3C marks and recalls for domestic flights.
Get around the language barrier
Use Chinese addresses, camera translation and practical travel phrases.
Explore Xinjiang & Tibetan areas
Find your starting point, then look closer at routes and regional travel requirements.
Xinjiang: choose your kind of trip
Old cities, mountain lakes or grasslands? Start with the places you want to see, then compare distances and transport.
- Kashgar
- Old city & southern routes
- Kanas
- Mountain lakes & villages
- Yili
- Grasslands & valley scenery
Heading to Tashkurgan or a border area? Check the separate access guidance.
Read border-area guidance
Tibet & Tibetan areas, explained
Tibetan cultural areas extend beyond the Tibet Autonomous Region. Compare the places — and understand which rules apply.
- Lhasa
- Tibet Autonomous Region
- Garze & Aba
- Western Sichuan
- Further afield
- Gansu, Qinghai & Yunnan
See where the Tibet Travel Permit applies. Other local access rules can still apply.
Compare regions & permit rules
Last updated: October 7, 2026