New to China?
China is genuinely one of the best places in the world to travel. It is also genuinely different from anywhere else. Here is the practical setup, in the right order.
90-minute prep plan
Most first-day friction happens at the airport, at the taxi stand, or at the first payment counter. These steps remove almost all of it.
China's visa-free rules have expanded significantly. Check the current NIA list first, especially if you qualify for 30-day visa-free entry or the 240-hour transit policy.
Everything else depends on data: Alipay setup, maps, train bookings, translation, and ride-hailing. Buy and install an eSIM before your flight.
China is effectively cashless. Link your foreign card, complete identity verification, and test the apps before you land.
Install Alipay, WeChat, Amap, Trip.com, Didi, and offline translation before leaving home. Some apps are harder to download once you're already inside China.
High-speed rail is the backbone of most China itineraries. Tickets go on sale 30 days ahead, and popular routes sell out around holidays.
For most first trips, Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai is still the strongest route: ancient capital, Silk Road history, and modern China in one clean loop.