First Time in China: 15 Things to Know Before You Go

For most first-time visitors to China, the worry is not the language — it is the practical stuff: how do I pay, how do I get online, how do I get a taxi? All three are easy once you know how. These are the 15 things we most wish every guest knew before they flew.

Last updated: September 2026.

1. Sort out your internet before you fly

China's internet is different from most of the world: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are not directly reachable from the mainland. There are two practical approaches:

• Buy an international roaming eSIM (Airalo, Nomad and similar). Your data routes through a foreign carrier, so most apps keep working and it activates the moment you land — by far the simplest option.
• Buy a local SIM or use hotel Wi-Fi: cheaper, but you are working within the local network environment.

Decide this before departure. Do not rely on airport Wi-Fi to reach your driver on arrival.

2. Install these apps

• Alipay: foreign visitors can link a Visa, Mastercard or Amex directly. Scan-to-pay, ride-hailing, train tickets and translation all live in one app.
• WeChat: how China communicates — also the entry point for many restaurants' ordering and booking systems.
• Didi: the ride-hailing app, with an English interface and international card support.
• Amap or Baidu Maps: Google Maps has incomplete positioning and transit data in mainland China; local maps are far more reliable.
• A translation app with camera mode — invaluable for menus and street signs.
• 12306 (official rail app), or book trains through Alipay or Trip.com.

3. Set up mobile payment in advance

China is close to cashless: street stalls, wet markets and taxis all take QR payments. Both Alipay and WeChat Pay accept foreign cards. Link your card and complete identity verification before you travel, not at the till. Single transactions are typically capped around RMB 2,000, which is plenty for a normal trip.

4. Still carry a little cash

Mobile payment dominates, but carry RMB 300–500 for the occasional cash-only stall, temple donation box or emergency. Airports and banks exchange currency, and most ATMs accept foreign cards.

5. Your passport is your ID — carry it

In China a passport is not just a border document: you need it to buy train tickets, check into hotels and send parcels. Keep it on you and store a digital backup. Hotels must register foreign guests; small guesthouses are not always licensed to host foreign nationals, so confirm when booking.

6. The language barrier is smaller than you think

Tourist cities, major hotels and high-speed rail stations have good English signage, but small local shops are Chinese-only. Practical habits: screenshot your hotel address and destinations; use your translation app's camera mode on menus; learn four phrases — nihao (hello), xiexie (thank you), duoshao qian (how much) — and locals will warm to you immediately.

7. Travel between cities by high-speed rail

China's high-speed network is enormous, punctual, and puts you in the city centre rather than an out-of-town airport. For 500–1,500 km, rail usually beats flying: Chongqing to Chengdu is about 1.5 hours, Xi'an to Beijing about 4.5 hours, Shanghai to Hangzhou just 45 minutes.

8. Book trains early — your passport is your ticket

Tickets go on sale 15 days ahead; book 5–14 days in advance for popular routes. Your passport number is the booking, and you scan the passport itself at the gate. Tickets are name-bound — you cannot simply take a different departure.

9. In the city, take the metro

Metro systems in major cities are clean, cheap and announced in English. Scan the Alipay or WeChat ride code to enter. Rush hour (07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30) is genuinely crowded — travel off-peak if you can.

10. Do not tip

China has no tipping culture. Restaurants, taxis and hotels do not expect it. Upscale hotels and some international restaurants add a 10–15% service charge, which appears on the bill. For private car-and-guide services, gratuities are handled through the operator, not expected from you on the day.

11. Ordering food is simpler than it looks

• Most restaurants use QR-code ordering: scan the code on the table with Alipay or WeChat and order from your phone.
• Dishes are shared. Chinese tables order several plates for the group — just add dishes per person and everyone eats from the middle.
• "Medium spicy" (weila) is genuinely hot. If you do not eat chilli, say "bu yao la" — no chilli.
• Do not miss: Chongqing hotpot, Chongqing xiaomian noodles, Chengdu skewers, Cantonese dim sum, Xi'an roujiamo and liangpi, Beijing roast duck.
• Bottled and boiled water are safe. Tap water is not for drinking.

12. Choose your season carefully

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the most comfortable months almost everywhere. Avoid:

• National Day Golden Week (1–7 October): the busiest travel week of the year;
• Chinese New Year (late January to mid-February): transport is at its tightest and small shops close;
• High summer (July–August): Chongqing, Wuhan and Nanjing can hit 40°C — not the weather for long walking days.

13. Where to go on a first trip

• Chongqing + Chengdu + Jiuzhaigou: a cyberpunk mountain city, giant pandas, karst gorges and turquoise travertine lakes — the best single introduction to southwest China.
• Beijing + Xi'an: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army — Chinese history on one straight line.
• Shanghai + Hangzhou + Suzhou: modern skyline against classical gardens, at an easy pace.
• Zhangjiajie + Guilin: sandstone pillar forests and the Li River — the classic photographer's route.

14. A few etiquette basics

• Dress modestly and keep your voice down in temples and Taoist shrines.
• Do not photograph people without asking, and never photograph military installations or border areas.
• Queueing and letting people off the metro before you board are the norm.
• Offer and receive business cards, tea and gifts with both hands.
• Avoid political topics in conversation.

15. Consider a local tour operator

The real cost of a first trip to China is trial and error: booking the wrong hotel location, buying the wrong train, queueing three hours at a gate you did not need. A local operator turns visas, transfers, hotels, tickets and drivers into one smooth chain — especially valuable for families, older travellers and multi-city routes. Jadetour specialises in inbound travel to China, running small-group and private tours in Chongqing, Sichuan, Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie and Guilin.

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