Apps and Official Links
Use this page when you need the shortest path to a primary source before departure or on arrival day. Open the category tied to the blocked moment, confirm the rule that matters now, then come back to the guide on this site for the fallback path.
Payment Setup
Section titled “Payment Setup”If wallet setup, card acceptance, or cash backup is unclear, open these first.
- GOV.CN: Payment service guide for overseas visitors to China for the public overview of cards, cash, ATMs, and mobile payments.
- GOV.CN: Guide to Payment Services in China for broader policy context when a merchant or hotel gives unclear payment guidance.
- Alipay+: Pay in the Chinese mainland for wallet setup language and supported use cases.
Also confirm the support page for the exact bank card you plan to use. Fraud checks, SMS delivery, and foreign-transaction controls can fail even when app setup looks complete.
Use next on this site: Pay in China and Payment setup checker.
Internet And Phone Access
Section titled “Internet And Phone Access”Use these links before you rely on one data path for maps, banking, or family contact.
- Apple Support: Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone to confirm international eSIM basics before you buy.
- Apple Support: Using eSIM with your iPhone in China mainland to confirm the China-mainland device caveat before travel.
- Shanghai International Services: Mobile Services for a current official summary of local mobile-service options.
- Airalo: Stay connected in China for provider support notes if you already plan to use Airalo.
- Nomad: Stay connected in China with Nomad eSIM for provider support notes if you already plan to use Nomad.
Also check your home carrier’s roaming support page. The safest launch-day setup is the one that keeps your must-have apps and SMS codes reachable.
Use next on this site: Internet setup guide and Internet setup chooser.
Trains, Airports, And Ride-Hailing
Section titled “Trains, Airports, And Ride-Hailing”Open these when ticket rules, passport verification, or airport pickup flow is the risk.
- 12306 English FAQ for the official train-booking FAQ.
- Trip.com: China train ticket policy when you are comparing Trip.com support with 12306 direct booking.
- Beijing Municipal Government: 4 Things You Must Know about Taking Trains in China for a concise public explainer of train basics.
- Shanghai International Services: Pudong Airport resumes online ride-hailing services for the current Pudong pickup reference.
- Shanghai International Services: Hongqiao airport launches ride-hailing station for the current Hongqiao pickup reference.
Use next on this site: Train tickets with a passport and Airport to hotel.
Hotels And Accommodation Registration
Section titled “Hotels And Accommodation Registration”Use these pages when a hotel policy sounds wrong, check-in is blocked, or registration rules are unclear.
- GOV.CN: China to facilitate accommodation for foreign travelers for the public policy signal that hotels and platforms should not refuse foreign guests illegally.
- GOV.CN / NIA: Online accommodation registration policy interpretation for the rule that applies when you stay somewhere other than a standard hotel.
- Trip.com: Is Late Check-In Allowed in China? when you need the platform-side view of late arrival and guest-policy friction.
Use next on this site: Foreign-passport hotel check-in.
Entry, Transit, And Arrival Forms
Section titled “Entry, Transit, And Arrival Forms”Use these when airline staff, transit rules, or arrival paperwork become the blocker.
- GOV.CN: China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy for the current public policy summary.
- GOV.CN: China’s visa-free transit policy fully relaxed and optimized for the public rollout context and scope.
- Beijing Municipal Government: China expands digital entry options for foreign travelers when you need a public explainer tied to digital entry and arrival workflows.
Use next on this site: Before departure checklist and Something failed.
Attraction Tickets And Mini-Program Friction
Section titled “Attraction Tickets And Mini-Program Friction”These are the quickest source pages for common app-only booking problems.
- The Palace Museum: Book Tickets when a real-name ticketing flow or foreign-passport booking rule is blocking an attraction visit.
- Beijing 12345 Hotline: Palace Museum and Summer Palace ticket booking for foreign visitors for a public-answer format focused on foreign-visitor booking friction.
How To Use This Page Quickly
Section titled “How To Use This Page Quickly”- Open only the category tied to the blocked moment.
- Confirm the one rule that could strand the next move: payment, data, booking, hotel, or entry.
- If a source is broad or ambiguous, return to the guide on this site and use the published backup path instead of guessing.
Listing Standard
Section titled “Listing Standard”Links stay on this page only when they help answer three practical questions: when to use it, what can fail, and what backup path should be ready if it still goes wrong.