For visitors from abroad

Phone, internet and the apps you need

Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X and most Western news sites are unreachable from a Chinese network. Set up what you need before you land, because you cannot download a VPN or sign in to Gmail from inside the country.

Checked 2026-11-01. Rules change often; confirm anything that matters with an official source before you travel.

Getting online

  • eSIM is the easiest option. International travel eSIMs that route through Hong Kong or Singapore let your usual apps work without a VPN because the traffic leaves China before it is filtered. Buy one before departure and activate it on landing.
  • Roaming on your home plan has the same effect: foreign SIMs are not filtered. It is often the most expensive option.
  • A Chinese SIM from China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom at the airport needs your passport and gives cheap, fast data, but it is filtered. Combine it with a VPN installed before you arrive.
  • Hotel and cafe Wi-Fi often asks for a Chinese phone number to receive a code. Mobile data avoids the problem.

Apps to install before you fly

  • Alipay: payments, taxis, trains, metro, bike share, food delivery. The one app you cannot skip.
  • WeChat: messaging with hotels and guides, and the mini programs most attractions use for tickets.
  • Apple Maps (iPhone) or Amap (高德地图, English interface): navigation, metro directions and walking routes. Google Maps shows roads offset by several hundred metres in China and has no transit data.
  • China Railway 12306: official train tickets with passport registration. Trip.com is a reliable alternative in English with a small fee.
  • DiDi: ride hailing, inside Alipay or as its own app, with an English interface and your card already linked.
  • A translation app with offline Chinese: Apple Translate, Google Translate with the offline pack downloaded in advance, or Baidu Translate. The camera mode reads menus and signs.

Messaging and calls

WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal do not work on Chinese networks. iMessage and FaceTime do. If your family uses WhatsApp, either roam, use an international eSIM, or install WeChat on their phones too. Chinese mobile numbers start with 1 and have 11 digits; the country code is +86.

Power and chargers

Electricity is 220 volts at 50 hertz. Sockets take flat two pin plugs (the American shape, type A) and three pin angled plugs (the Australian shape, type I); most hotel sockets accept both plus the round European two pin. Bring one universal adapter. Power banks above 100 watt hours are not allowed on flights, and since 2025 domestic airlines also refuse power banks without a Chinese 3C safety mark, so pack a small branded one.

Common questions

Is a VPN legal for tourists?

Using one is tolerated and universal among foreign residents; the restrictions target providers, not users. The practical issue is that you must install and test it before you arrive, because the download sites are blocked.

Will my Chinese SIM work for Alipay verification?

Yes, and some mini programs prefer a Chinese number, but a foreign number also works for Alipay, WeChat, DiDi and 12306.

Can I use Google Maps at all?

It opens over roaming or an eSIM, but the map is offset and has no bus or metro data, so it is unreliable for walking. Apple Maps and Amap are accurate.