First-Time China Travel Checklist

Quick answer

China is easier to visit when you prepare the digital basics before you fly. You do not need to solve everything at once. Work through the trip in this order: entry permission, phone access, payments, essential apps, transport, hotel details, and a gentle first day.

One to two months before departure

Check how you are allowed to enter

Do this before paying for non-refundable bookings. Your options may include visa-free entry, an agreement-based exemption, 240-hour visa-free transit, or a tourist L visa. The correct route depends on your passport, purpose, itinerary, and planned stay.

Read Do You Need a Visa for China? for the current starting point and official links.

Check your passport and itinerary

• Confirm that your passport will remain valid for your trip.
• Check that the name on every flight, hotel, and train booking matches your passport.
• Save your first hotel's English and Chinese address.
• Keep a simple itinerary and your return or onward ticket available.
• Read China Customs rules before packing unusual medicine, food, plants, seeds, or animal products.

Book your first hotel carefully

For a first arrival, choose a hotel with a clear address, recent reviews, and easy transport. Foreign travelers staying in hotels present a valid passport or other valid travel document at reception, and the hotel handles accommodation registration.

If you stay in a private home or another place that is not a hotel, you or your host must complete accommodation registration within 24 hours after arrival. The National Immigration Administration introduced an online registration pilot in 2026 for Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Sichuan. Outside the pilot areas, check the local process and use the local public security registration channel. Register again when your accommodation details change.

One to two weeks before departure

Prepare at least two ways to pay

China's official payment guidance covers bank cards, mobile payment, cash, bank accounts, and e-CNY. For a short trip, the practical setup is simpler:

• Prepare Alipay, WeChat Pay, or both.
• Bind an eligible international card if the app supports it.
• Bring a physical bank card.
• Keep a modest amount of RMB cash as backup.
• Tell your bank that you will be traveling if needed.

Read How to Pay in China as a Foreigner.

Install the apps you will actually use

Start with a small travel toolkit:

• Alipay and WeChat for payments and useful travel services.
• A map app that works well in China.
• DiDi-Greater China, Alipay, or WeChat for ride-hailing.
• China Railway's official 12306 app or English website for train tickets.
• A translation app with camera translation.
• Trip.com or another suitable booking channel for accommodation and travel reservations.

Download, register, and test what you can before departure. Read Apps You Need Before Visiting China.

Set up your phone plan

Decide whether you will use roaming, an eligible travel eSIM, or a local SIM. Do not assume every overseas app or service you normally use will remain available or reliable in the Chinese mainland. Keep in mind that app registration and payment verification may involve your phone number. Download offline copies of your hotel address, bookings, essential phrases, and first-day route.

If you plan to take a train

China Railway uses real-name ticketing. Foreign travelers can use a passport to verify identity and buy tickets through the official 12306 English website or app. Keep the original passport used for the booking with you when entering the station and boarding.

Read How to Take High-Speed Rail in China.

Prepare a small arrival folder

Keep these items together on your phone and, ideally, offline:

• Passport photo page copy.
• Visa or entry-rule notes relevant to your trip.
• Flight details.
• First hotel name, phone number, and address in English and Chinese.
• Hotel booking confirmation.
• Return or onward ticket.
• Travel insurance details.
• Emergency contact.
• Important medical notes and supporting prescription documents.
• A screenshot of your first route from the airport or station to the hotel.

Your first day in China

Do less than you think you can. After a long journey, your first goals are mobile data, the hotel, a small payment test, water, and an easy meal. Keep your hotel address visible on your phone before starting a taxi or ride-hailing trip.

Read What to Do on Your First Day in China.

Food without language stress

You do not need fluent Mandarin to eat well. Choose an easy first meal, use photos or a translated menu, point politely, and keep a written note for allergies or strict dietary requirements.

Read How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Chinese.

Final 24-hour check

• Recheck your flight and first hotel.
• Confirm the entry policy that applies to your passport.
• Charge your phone and power bank.
• Keep your hotel address and bookings offline.
• Put your passport, physical bank card, and some cash somewhere easy to reach.
• Check that your apps still open and your phone plan is ready.
• Do not carry a package for another person unless you know exactly what is inside.

A useful mindset

China can be highly digital, but you do not need to become an expert before landing. Prepare the first few decisions, keep screenshots, and give yourself a quiet first day. That is enough to begin well.