For first-time visitors to China
Your first trip to China, without the walls.
Visa-free entry, phone payments, blocked apps, sights that need your passport a week ahead: every first-timer hits the same walls. Here is how to get past each one, checked for travel in 2026 and 2027.
Ask anything about your trip
Answers come from the guides on this site, with links to the sources.
The essentials, in the order you'll need them
All guidesPlan Your First Trip to China
When to go, how many days to allow, which cities to pair by high-speed rail, rough budget tiers and what to book before you leave.
02Visas and Entry
Who can visit China visa-free for 30 days, how 240-hour transit works, who needs a visa, and what to expect at immigration, customs and registration.
03Your First 24 Hours in China
A step-by-step arrival sequence for China, from setup before boarding to immigration, SIM, cash, the ride into town, hotel check-in and your first evening.
04Paying in China
How foreigners pay in China with Alipay and WeChat Pay, cash, international cards and ATMs, plus tipping and a fallback plan.
05Internet and Apps for China
How to stay online in China with roaming, a travel eSIM or a local SIM, which foreign services are blocked, and the apps to install before you fly.
06Getting Around China
How to use China's high-speed rail, city metros, taxis and Didi, domestic flights, shared bikes and your own feet on a first trip.
07Booking Sights in China
Big sights in China need a real-name booking with your passport number, often days ahead. How to book, when slots open and what to avoid.
08Food and Ordering in China
How to order food in China with scan-to-order QR menus, picture menus, key Chinese phrases, dietary needs, regional dishes and safe drinking water.
09Hotels and Registration in China
Hotels in China register foreign guests with the police at check-in. What to bring, how to pick a location by metro line, and rules for private stays.
10Health and Safety in China
China is generally safe for visitors. Emergency numbers, hospitals and pharmacies, bringing medicine, air quality, weather and common tourist scams.
11Etiquette and Culture in China
China etiquette for first-time visitors, from crowds, photos, temples and chopsticks to gifts, no tipping, sensitive topics, smoking and toilets.
Look it up
All toolsVisa checker
Visa-free, 240-hour transit or a visa: find out which applies to your passport and trip.
Sight booking finder
Which sights need a reservation with your passport, where to book and when tickets open.
Pre-trip checklist
Payments, apps, documents and bookings to sort out before you board, saved on your device.
Emergency help
Numbers to call, phrases to show, and what to do if you lose your passport.
City guides
All citiesBeijing
A first-timer's Beijing, with two airports, the metro, which sights need booking, where to stay by line, what to eat, Great Wall trips and how long to stay.
Shanghai
A first-timer's Shanghai, with Pudong, Hongqiao and the maglev, the metro, sights to book, where to stay, what to eat, water towns and how long to stay.
Xi'an
A first-timer's Xi'an, with Xianyang airport, the metro, booking the Terracotta Army, where to stay, noodles, Mount Hua day trips and how long to stay.
Chengdu
A first-timer's Chengdu, with two far-apart airports, booking pandas and Sanxingdui, where to stay, Sichuan food, Leshan, Chongqing and how long to stay.
The Day Zero ebooks
About the booksThe full story for each city: every wall explained, then the history behind the sights, day trips and sample routes. Fifteen languages, each edition written for its readers' own entry rules and embassies.
Beijing, Day Zero
Shanghai, Day Zero
Xi'an, Day Zero
Chengdu, Day Zero