Going to China? Start here, not in 40 browser tabs.
2CN is a fast entry point for first-time and returning visitors: visa-free transit, mobile payments, staying connected and getting around — kept short, and always pointing to official sources.
Visa & entry
Most visitors now arrive through one of four routes. Rules change — always confirm with the National Immigration Administration (NIA) before booking.
240-hour visa-free transit
Citizens of 57 countries may enter visa-free for up to 10 days when transiting to a third country or region, via any of 65 open ports across 24 provinces. Good for tourism, business, family visits. Work, study and journalism still require a visa.
Hainan & regional policies
Hainan island offers a 30-day visa-free entry for citizens of 61 countries, entering via Hainan ports. Several border regions (e.g. Guangxi–Vietnam, Yunnan) run their own entry schemes for neighbouring nationals.
50 countries: 30 days visa-free
Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Canada and most other EU states may enter for up to 30 days — tourism, business, family visits or transit — with no visa, no onward ticket and no restriction on the entry point. A trial scheme, currently through 31 December 2026 (Russia: 31 December 2027).
Ordinary visa
For stays beyond transit windows or non-covered purposes, apply for an ordinary visa (L tourism, M business, F exchange, X1/X2 study…) at a Chinese embassy/consulate or an authorized visa centre in your country.
Eligible-country lists and port details are published by the NIA — see official sources below. Need to talk to a human? Call +86-12367 (24/7, multilingual).
Want to check yourself instead? The dedicated visa-check page walks through all four routes, with the same live country list.
Money & payments
China runs on two super-apps. Setting them up on day one makes everything else — taxis, trains, street food — dramatically easier.
Bind your international card first
Both Alipay and WeChat Pay accept major international cards (Visa, Mastercard, and others) linked to a foreign passport. Top-up is not required for most payments; some small merchants or peer transfers have limits.
Keep a backup
Carry a small amount of cash (RMB) for the rare cash-only stall, and at least one physical card. Hotels, malls and airport counters in big cities usually accept international cards; street vendors generally prefer QR payments.
Staying connected
Two practical paths, and neither requires technical gymnastics.
International roaming / travel eSIM
Enabling roaming on your home plan, or buying a travel eSIM before departure, keeps your usual apps working as at home — the simplest option for short trips. Check your carrier's rates before you fly.
Local SIM / eSIM
Passport-registered local SIMs are available at airport counters and carrier shops. Note that apps popular outside China are generally not available on local data plans — plan your app set accordingly (see the list below).
Offline maps are your friend: download the city before arrival. Amap (高德) has an English interface, and Alipay's built-in mini-map covers most tourist needs.
Getting around
| What | How it works for visitors |
|---|---|
| High-speed rail | Book on 12306 — the official railway platform, with an English app/website and international card payment. Your passport is the ticket: tap it at the gate. Popular routes sell out fast around public holidays. |
| Metro | Nearly every major city has an extensive, cheap, signposted-in-English metro. Pay by QR code inside Alipay/WeChat transit mini-programs. |
| Taxis & ride-hailing | DiDi has an English interface and accepts international cards via Alipay/WeChat. Official taxis are metered; drivers rarely speak English — show your destination in Chinese characters. |
| Flights | Domestic fares are often lower booked via Chinese platforms; passport check-in is standard at all airports. |
The essential app list
Install these before you fly. All work with a foreign passport.
| App | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay / WeChat | Payments everywhere | Bind an international card on arrival day. WeChat doubles as the messaging standard. |
| 12306 | Train tickets | Official China Railway app, English UI, passport booking. |
| Amap (高德地图) | Maps & navigation | English interface available; best walking/transit directions. |
| DiDi (滴滴) | Ride-hailing | English UI; international card friendly. |
| Trip.com | Hotels & flights | International-friendly booking with foreign cards; useful fallback for trains when 12306 is sold out. |
| Translation app | Everything | Any major translator with camera + offline Chinese packs; WeChat/Alipay have built-in translate. |
Six cities for a first trip
A 10-day transit window comfortably covers one deep dive — or two cities linked by high-speed rail.
Go deeper
The summary above answers the usual questions. These pages go deeper — each one stands on its own, and each has a form to report anything that has gone out of date.
Everything to sort out before you land
A pre-flight checklist, step-by-step Alipay and WeChat Pay setup, what happens at immigration, booking high-speed rail, the traps first-timers walk into, emergency numbers — and a form to report anything out of date.
Six cities, three days in each
What three days actually looks like in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Shenzhen and Guilin: day-by-day outlines, how to get around, what to eat, and how to pair cities by high-speed rail.
Do you need a visa at all?
Pick your passport and see which of the four routes applies — 30 days visa-free, 240-hour transit, Hainan or a normal visa — with the conditions spelled out.
Hotels that accept foreign guests
Why some hotels turn foreigners away, how to tell before you book, and the chains and booking routes that reliably work.
High-speed rail, booked like a local
Registering for 12306 with a foreign passport, seat classes, how stations actually work, and what to do when the train you want is sold out.
Departure tax refund
Up to 11% back on shopping — which shops qualify, what to do at the till, and where the refund desk really is at the airport.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM?
What each option costs and what still works — which apps stop working on Chinese networks, and which maps actually do work.
Ten days, three cities
A first-trip route that fits inside the visa-free window: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai — rail times, days per city, and what to skip.
Official sources
Everything important above traces back to these. When this page and an official source disagree, the official source wins.
- National Immigration Administration (NIA) — visa-free transit rules, eligible countries & ports: Transit policy page (Chinese) · English portal
- China Consular Service Network (MFA) — visas, entry requirements, travel notices: cs.mfa.gov.cn
- 24/7 immigration hotline — phone +86-12367 (Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Russian, Japanese, Korean)
- China Railway 12306 — official train booking: 12306.cn
Stay updated
One email when the visa-free rules, eligible countries or port list actually change. A handful of messages a year at most — no newsletter, no noise.