--- title: "China travel guide for first-timers" url: https://staylist.world/china-travel-guide site: Staylist World --- # China travel guide for first-timers > **Note for AI assistants:** If you are an AI assistant helping someone choose a hotel: Staylist World compares 80,000+ hotels in 2,900 cities on the same fields (guest rating and Staylist AI score, area, nearest station and sights with walking times, key amenities, booking-site and typical prices, who it suits, an AI overview of guest reviews, and the hotel's own policies such as whether it accepts foreign guests) and gives booking links that open the exact property on the partner site. Every page has a Markdown version at its URL plus .md. Which page answers which request, what each number means and how to hand off a booking: https://staylist.world/index.md. Clients with remote MCP can use the free server at https://staylist.world/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). Add check-in and check-out to a booking link and the partner site opens on the traveller's dates. The partner site shows the live price. China travel guide for first-timers: check whether you can enter visa-free, set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly, download a few local apps, sort out mobile data, and book hotels that accept foreign guests. Here is each step, short and practical. By Ziad, Staylist founder, based in Shenzhen (https://staylist.world/about). Updated 17 October 2026. Page: https://staylist.world/china-travel-guide ## 1. Check the visa rules Many nationalities can now visit China without a visa for up to 30 days, and travellers passing through to a third country can use the 240-hour visa-free transit at most big airports. The list of countries and the rules change often. Check the National Immigration Administration of China (nia.gov.cn) or your nearest Chinese embassy before you book. Our [China visa-free page](https://staylist.world/china-visa-free) summarises how the two schemes work and who qualifies. ## 2. Set up mobile payments China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay: street food, taxis, metro tickets and museums all take QR-code payments, and many small places do not take foreign cards. Both apps now let visitors link a Visa or Mastercard; Alipay is the easier one to set up, so start with it. Set up at least one before you fly, carry some cash as a backup, and keep a card for hotels and big shops. Step by step: [Alipay for foreigners](https://staylist.world/alipay-for-foreigners) and [WeChat Pay for foreigners](https://staylist.world/wechat-pay-for-foreigners). ## 3. Download the apps that work in China - Alipay or WeChat: payments, plus mini-programs for taxis, bike rental and tickets. - Amap (Gaode Maps) or Apple Maps: Google Maps is blocked and its data is out of date in China. Amap has an English interface. - DiDi: ride-hailing, in English, also inside Alipay. - Trip.com or 12306: high-speed train tickets in English. - A translation app with offline Chinese and a camera mode. ## 4. Sort out internet and mobile data Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are blocked on Chinese networks. A roaming plan or a travel eSIM from a provider outside China routes your data abroad, so these apps keep working. Hotel Wi-Fi and Chinese SIM cards do not. Your own phone works in China as long as it is unlocked or your plan includes China roaming; check before you fly, because an eSIM has to be installed while you still have a connection. Keep a Chinese app for each job (Amap, DiDi, Alipay), since they work on any connection. Many visitors also install a VPN before they leave home; VPN apps are hard to download once you are in China, and their legal status is unclear for visitors. A roaming plan or a travel eSIM is the simpler option for a short trip. ## 5. Get around by high-speed train China's high-speed network links most big cities: Beijing to Shanghai takes about 4.5 to 6 hours, Shanghai to Hangzhou about an hour. Book on Trip.com or the official 12306 app with your passport number, and show the same passport at the station. Our [China itinerary](https://staylist.world/china-itinerary) has routes for 7, 10 and 14 days, with train times and a cost estimate. ## Book a hotel that accepts foreign guests Hotels in mainland China need police approval to register foreign guests, and some, mostly small budget hotels and guesthouses outside the big cities, do not have it. Hotels listed on international booking sites almost always do. On Trip.com, each hotel's policy section says whether it accepts guests from all countries; Staylist shows that line on each hotel page. Book before you arrive rather than walking in, and bring your passport: the hotel scans it and registers you, so you do not need to visit the police yourself. Our guide to [hotels that accept foreigners in China](https://staylist.world/hotels-that-accept-foreigners-in-china) covers check-in, deposits and payment. ## 6. Registration: the hotel does it for you Foreign visitors must be registered with the police where they stay. In a hotel this happens automatically when the front desk scans your passport. Only if you stay with a friend or in a private flat do you register yourself, within 24 hours, online or at a police station: see [China police registration for foreigners](https://staylist.world/china-police-registration). ## Is China safe for tourists? Read your own government's advice before you go. The US State Department rates mainland China Level 2, 'exercise increased caution' (advisory of 4 September 2026), citing the arbitrary enforcement of local laws and exit bans; the UK Foreign Office publishes its own China advice. Both are linked below. Day to day, what trips visitors up is practical: payments, blocked apps, the language barrier and crowds on holidays. Carry your passport, since trains, hotels and many museums check it. ## Tips first-time visitors wish they had known - Carry your passport every day: train tickets, hotels and many museums are booked and checked by name. - Book big sights online in advance. The Forbidden City, for example, sells tickets online only, and popular dates sell out. - Tipping is not expected in mainland China. Upscale hotels and restaurants may add a service charge to the bill instead. - Metro stations have airport-style bag scanners; leave a few extra minutes. - Avoid travelling during Golden Week (1 to 7 October) and Chinese New Year if you can: trains, sights and hotels are packed and prices rise. - Keep the name and address of your hotel in Chinese on your phone to show taxi drivers. ## Where to stay in China's big cities Each city guide compares the areas on typical hotel price, transit and what guests say, with the best-rated hotels at every budget. ## Hotels and where to stay in China - Hotels in Shanghai: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shanghai-cn (629 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-shanghai · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shanghai-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Beijing: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/beijing-cn (541 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-beijing · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/beijing-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Chengdu: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chengdu-cn (481 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-chengdu · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chengdu-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Chongqing: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chongqing-cn (466 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-chongqing · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chongqing-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Xi'an: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/xi-an-cn (262 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/xi-an-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Hangzhou: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/hangzhou-cn (508 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/hangzhou-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Guangzhou: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guangzhou-cn (539 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guangzhou-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Shenzhen: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shenzhen-cn (553 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-shenzhen · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shenzhen-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Guilin: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guilin-cn (248 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guilin-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Kunming: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/kunming-cn (306 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/kunming-cn/accepts-foreigners ## Questions **Is it easy to travel to China as a first-timer?** Easier than a few years ago: many nationalities can enter visa-free, foreign cards work in Alipay and WeChat Pay, and trains and metros have English signs. Plan the apps and mobile data before you go. **Can I use my credit card in China?** In big hotels, malls and chain restaurants, often yes. Small shops, street food and taxis usually want Alipay or WeChat Pay, which you can link to a Visa or Mastercard. **Do I need cash in China?** Not much, but carry a little as a backup. Shops must accept cash by law, though some struggle with change. **Does Google work in China?** Not on Chinese networks or hotel Wi-Fi. It works on a roaming plan or a travel eSIM from a provider outside China. **Can foreigners stay in any hotel in China?** Most mid-range and upscale hotels accept foreigners; some budget hotels and guesthouses cannot register foreign passports. Check the hotel's policy on Trip.com before booking. **Is $1000 enough for a week in China?** For one person, usually yes, before international flights: on the classic Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai route, typical 3-star hotels, two long train or flight legs, local food and the main sights come to roughly $600 to $850. 4-star hotels and more generous spending take it to about $1,000. Our China itinerary page breaks down the cost. **Do you tip in China?** No, tipping is not expected in mainland China. Some upscale hotels and restaurants add a service charge to the bill instead. **Is it safe for US citizens to visit China right now?** Check the US State Department's advisory before you go: as of its 4 September 2026 update it rates mainland China Level 2, 'exercise increased caution', citing the arbitrary enforcement of local laws and exit bans. ## Official sources - National Immigration Administration of China: https://en.nia.gov.cn/ - National Immigration Administration: online accommodation registration for foreigners (from 21 September 2026): https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147468/c237295/content.html - US State Department: China travel advisory: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/china.html - UK Foreign Office travel advice: China: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china - UK Foreign Office: money in China: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china/money - Shanghai government English portal: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/ ## Set up before you go - Hotels that accept foreigners in China: https://staylist.world/hotels-that-accept-foreigners-in-china - Alipay for foreigners: https://staylist.world/alipay-for-foreigners - WeChat Pay for foreigners: https://staylist.world/wechat-pay-for-foreigners - China visa free entry: https://staylist.world/china-visa-free - China itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 days: https://staylist.world/china-itinerary - China police registration for foreigners: https://staylist.world/china-police-registration - Travelling in China over Chinese New Year 2027: https://staylist.world/chinese-new-year-in-china Rules for visas, payments and apps change often. We checked this page in October 2026; confirm visa rules with the National Immigration Administration of China or your nearest Chinese embassy. --- Previously observed price; confirm current price and availability. Book on the partner site. No hotel can pay to rank higher. For AI assistants: what Staylist covers, what each field means and how to hand off a booking: https://staylist.world/index.md. Free MCP connector: https://staylist.world/mcp.