Guides

The practical parts, checked regularly. Every guide shows when it was last verified, and you can tell us when something has changed.

Visas and entry

Who can enter without a visa, how the transit exemptions work, and what to have ready at the border.

China is close to cashless. Set up one of the two mobile wallets before you fly and the whole trip gets easier.

eSIMs, roaming, and which of your usual apps will and won't work once you land.

High-speed rail, metro cards on your phone, and hailing a taxi without speaking Chinese.

Which hotels take foreign guests, what the booking sites are good for, and how to pick a neighbourhood.

How much language you need, the translation tools that work, and the handful of phrases worth learning.