China Travel FAQ: Every Question First-Timers Ask
The questions people actually ask before a first trip to China — visas, money, phones, trains, safety and language — answered short, with a link to the full guide for each.
Everyone planning a first China trip asks roughly the same twenty questions. Here they are, answered short. Each one links to the guide that covers it properly.
Visas and entry
Do I need a visa? Probably not. Dozens of nationalities enter visa-free for 30 days for tourism, business and family visits. Canada was added on 17 February 2026. Separately, a 240-hour (10-day) transit scheme covers 54 nationalities who are travelling on to a third country. Check the 30-day list first — it has no onward-ticket requirement and no regional limits. → Visa-free transit and the 30-day scheme
What if I’m only transiting? The 240-hour scheme lets you enter at 60 approved ports and travel within the provinces tied to your entry port. You need an onward ticket to a third country or region. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate destinations.
Do I need travel insurance? Not legally required in most cases, but get it. Medical evacuation without insurance is the one cost that can genuinely wreck a trip financially.
Money
How much per day? Mid-range: ¥1,300–1,900 per person per day including a 3–4 star hotel, restaurant meals and transport. Budget travel works at ¥450–750. Flights are on top, and high-speed rail is the budget line people forget — roughly ¥0.50 per km. → What a trip actually costs
Can I use a credit card? Rarely outside international hotels and airports. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly and link a foreign card. This is the single highest-value piece of pre-trip setup. → Mobile payments in China
Do I need cash? Very little. ¥300–500 covers the rare cash-only situation and small attractions with card machines that reject foreign cards.
Do I tip? No. Not restaurants, not taxis, not hotels. It is not expected and can cause confusion.
Phones and internet
Will my phone work? Your hardware will. Your apps may not. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube do not load on a mainland connection. Apple and Microsoft services work normally. → What’s blocked and what works
What is the easiest fix? A travel eSIM. It routes your data outside the mainland because it is roaming rather than circumvention, so blocked services load normally. Roughly $10–40 for 10–20 GB. → Staying connected
What must I download before flying? Offline translation pack, offline maps, Didi, your payment app, and screenshots of your hotel name in Chinese characters.
Transport
How do I book train tickets? Trip.com, or the official 12306 app which now has an English mode. Your passport is your ticket — you scan it at the gate. Seats open about two weeks ahead and holiday routes sell out. → High-speed rail guide
How do taxis work? Metered and honest, but the language barrier is real. Use Didi — you set the destination on a map, so you never have to say an address out loud. → Didi and taxis
How do I get from the airport? Official taxi rank or a Didi from the signed ride-hailing pickup zone. Airport to city centre is roughly ¥100–120 in Beijing, ¥160–200 from Shanghai Pudong. Ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal.
Where to stay and what to see
Will my hotel accept foreigners? Almost all do, but a small number are not licensed to. It is a declining problem outside major cities. Booking through international platforms largely avoids it. → Hotels for foreigners
When should I go? Late September to early November, or April to early May. Avoid Golden Week (first week of October) and Chinese New Year, when domestic travel doubles hotel prices. → Best time to visit China
How many days do I need? Ten days covers two or three cities properly. Anything under a week is one city. → 10-day first-timer itinerary
Safety and culture
Is China safe? Yes. Violent crime against visitors is rare, and being out at night in major cities is normal. The realistic risks are pickpocketing in crowds, a handful of scams, and traffic — scooters run red lights in both directions. → Is China safe?
What are the common scams? They all start the same way: a stranger approaches you in English in a tourist area and suggests tea, an art show or a venue. Never follow someone to a place you did not choose. That one rule eliminates the category.
Do I need to speak Chinese? No. Twenty words — mostly numbers and food — plus an offline translator. → Chinese language basics
What cultural mistakes should I avoid? Four that register: never stand chopsticks upright in rice, do not tip, step over temple thresholds rather than on them, and do not photograph people mid-prayer. → Etiquette and taboos
Do I need a VPN? For a normal short trip, no — a travel eSIM covers it. If you do use one, install and test it before you fly. China regulates VPNs, and unauthorised services sit in a legal grey area.
If you only do five things before you fly
- Check the 30-day visa-free list.
- Link a card to Alipay.
- Buy a travel eSIM.
- Download offline translation and maps.
- Screenshot your hotel address in Chinese.
That list is the entire difference between a smooth arrival and a difficult first day.
Where to go next
Start with best time to visit to fix your dates, then visa-free entry to confirm you can get in. Once those two are settled, the 10-day itinerary turns it into a plan.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for China?
Probably not. Dozens of nationalities now enter visa-free for 30 days — Canada was added in February 2026. Separately, a 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit scheme covers 54 nationalities travelling on to a third country. Check the 30-day list first: it is the easier scheme.
How much money do I need per day?
Mid-range, on the ground: ¥1,300–1,900 per person per day including a 3–4 star hotel and restaurant meals. Budget travel is workable at ¥450–750 per day. Flights sit on top.
Can I use my credit card in China?
Rarely. China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay, and even street stalls take QR payments. Link a foreign card to Alipay before you fly — it is the single most important piece of pre-trip setup.
Will my phone work in China?
Your phone will work; your apps may not. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are blocked on a mainland connection. A travel eSIM usually routes around this because it is roaming, not circumvention.
How do I book train tickets?
Through Trip.com, or the official 12306 app which now has an English mode. Your passport is your ticket — you scan it at the gate. Book as early as seats open, especially around holidays.
Is China safe?
Yes. Violent crime against visitors is rare and night travel in big cities is normal. The real risks are pickpocketing in crowds, a few well-worn scams that all start with a stranger approaching you, and traffic.
Do I need to speak Chinese?
No. You need about twenty words, mostly numbers and food, plus an offline translation app. Download the offline pack before you fly — Google Translate will not work on arrival.
What is the best time to visit?
Late September to early November, and April to early May. Avoid Golden Week (first week of October) and Chinese New Year, when domestic travel doubles hotel prices.
