Practical Guide on Arrival: Payments, Transport, Hotel Foreign-Guest Reception, Attraction Ticket Reservations, Communications and Internet
The first hour after entry determines how smoothly the whole trip goes: whether you can pay, whether you can get a taxi, whether your hotel can receive foreign guests, whether popular attractions require reservations, and whether your phone can get online. These five things are arranged in the order you'll encounter them after landing, with a first-day checklist included.
Entry policies answer "can I get in"; on-the-ground services answer "how smoothly things go once I'm in." These five things are listed in order of when they happen: first be able to pay, then be able to move, then be able to stay, then be able to enter attractions, and only last comes swiping your phone.
1. Payment: link a card before you head out
| Method | How to do it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Linking a foreign card | Bind an overseas bank card in Alipay or WeChat Pay | Scan-to-order, convenience stores, ride-hailing, tickets — the widest coverage |
| Foreign wallets used domestically | Scan directly in China with certain overseas e-wallets | Short stays, when you don't want to install a new app |
| Cash | Withdraw at airports, bank branches, or ATMs | Small amounts, emergencies, some older shops |
| Bank cards | Large malls, hotel front desks | Large purchases |
We recommend linking one of the two scan-to-pay options and making one small test payment on the day you arrive. Linking an international card occasionally requires SMS verification; handling it after landing is far more relaxed than doing it at the checkout counter.
2. Transport: airport to city center is the first hurdle
- Metro: Most gateway-city airports have rail links straight to the city center — low fares, predictable timing; the downside is awkward transfers with lots of luggage.
- Ride-hailing: Apps let you register with an overseas number, and once payment is linked you can call a car directly; pickup points are usually in designated areas.
- Taxis: Queue at the airport taxi rank and ask for the meter; for long trips, confirm the approximate fare first.
- High-speed rail: The top choice between cities; tickets are real-name, bought with your passport at the counter or through official channels — arrive early for security checks.
3. Hotels: confirm "foreign guest reception" eligibility
Not every place to stay can host foreign travelers. When booking, prioritize hotels explicitly marked as accepting foreign guests; for homestays and small guesthouses, confirm before ordering whether they can complete the accommodation registration for foreign guests. Having the hotel handle registration on arrival is the key to an easy stay; if you're staying with friends or relatives, you need to go to the local police station in person to register.
4. Tickets: popular attractions almost all require reservations
The Forbidden City, some museums, and popular mountain attractions use real-name reservations with timed entry, and quotas are tight on holidays. The approach: once your itinerary is set, book the hardest-to-get first, then arrange the rest; reservations usually require passport details, and the name spelling must match your passport exactly. Some attractions have separate lanes or on-site quotas for foreign travelers, but don't count on it by default.
5. Communications and internet
- Local number: Get one with your passport at the airport or a city-center carrier store; use it to register for apps and receive verification codes.
- Roaming and eSIM: Fine for short stays; note that some apps behave differently on roaming networks.
- Public Wi-Fi: Widely available at hotels, airports, and chain restaurants, usually requiring phone-number verification.
Day-one arrival checklist (just follow it)
① Connect to airport Wi-Fi or enable roaming → ② Link a scan-to-pay method and make a small test payment → ③ Confirm your hotel accepts foreign guests and complete registration → ④ Use your passport details to reserve tomorrow's most popular attraction → ⑤ Buy or activate a local number → ⑥ Screenshot your hotel address in Chinese and save it to your photo album (useful for taxis and asking directions).
Once these six steps are done, the rest of the trip is basically just "where to go." Conversely, leaving any one step until the next day will throw off the reservations and pace of everything that follows.