China Travel Guide for Foreigners (2026)

Start your China trip by checking entry eligibility, preparing payments and arranging your first stay. Then build the route around the time you have, the journeys between places and any reservations you need. This guide takes you through those decisions, from preparing at home to leaving China.

Last policy check: September 7, 2026. By Ning (宁), Tocntravel. The practical rules below concern mainland China; Hong Kong and Macao have separate entry arrangements. Detailed guides are linked where you need country-specific rules or step-by-step help.

On this page

• Your pre-departure checklist
• Visas and entry eligibility
• Choose a manageable route
• Phone, documents and packing
• Arrival card, customs and airport transfer
• Paying in China
• Hotels and accommodation registration
• Trains and city transport
• Attractions, everyday travel and help
• Departure and shopping tax refunds
• Common questions
• Sources and update notes

Your pre-departure checklist

Use this list before you leave. The sections below explain the items that need more care.

• Entry: confirm your passport type, permitted purpose, entry route and allowed stay. Obtain a visa if required.
• Bookings: keep your flights, first accommodation and onward arrangements accessible offline. Save the hotel address and phone number in Chinese.
• Payments: prepare an eligible mobile-payment method, a physical bank card and some RMB cash.
• Phone: arrange mobile data and continued access to verification messages. Save essential addresses and documents offline.
• Transport: check the exact airport and station names. Leave time for transfers, security and check-in.
• Accommodation: know who will register your stay, especially if you are staying with friends or in a private residence.
• Packing: check airline baggage and power-bank rules, device charging requirements and any goods that need customs clearance.
• Support: save your insurer’s assistance number, your embassy or consulate’s contact details and the emergency numbers below.

Check your visa and entry eligibility first

Check the rule that applies to your passport and itinerary before committing to non-refundable bookings. Visa-free entry, visa-free transit and a tourist visa are different routes, with different conditions.

• Visa-free visits: eligible ordinary-passport holders can make qualifying visits under China’s unilateral visa-exemption policy, including tourism stays of up to 30 days. Other arrangements have their own conditions. Use our China visa-free entry guide to check nationalities, stay calculations, policy dates and Hainan-specific rules.
• Visa-free transit: the 240-hour transit policy requires an eligible passport, a qualifying onward journey to a third country or region, designated ports and travel within permitted areas. A return trip from country A through mainland China back to country A does not meet that onward-route requirement.
• Tourist visa: if no exemption covers your trip, check the L visa process for the Chinese embassy, consulate or visa centre serving your place of application. Our China tourist visa guide explains documents, online review and the steps that vary by jurisdiction.

An online visa form is only part of an application; it does not itself give permission to travel. For example, the Chinese Embassy in the United States publishes its own application requirements. Follow your responsible office rather than treating one country’s document list as a worldwide rule. Keep track of your permitted stay after entry; a long-validity visa does not necessarily allow a long stay on each visit.

Choose a route you can enjoy at a comfortable pace

Start with the number of full sightseeing days you actually have. Arrival, departure and travel between cities all use time. Compare the complete journey from one hotel to the next, including station or airport access, waiting and the final transfer.

Browse our destination pages for Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai and Chengdu to compare places that interest you. You do not need to include all four. A smaller route with time for meals, neighborhoods and rest can be more useful than adding another distant city.

• Choose priorities: identify the places or experiences you would most regret missing.
• Check the calendar: look at local weather, public holidays and attraction opening days for your actual dates.
• Count nights: write down where you sleep each night and how you reach the next stop.
• Keep some flexibility: leave room for a delayed journey, poor weather or a slower day.

These are planning suggestions, not a required itinerary. The China travel planning hub brings together broader planning resources. If you prefer an arranged journey, browse our private China tours or request a route based on your dates and interests.

Prepare your phone, documents and luggage

Mobile data and useful offline information

Ask your mobile provider about China coverage, roaming or SIM options, phone compatibility, and receiving bank or app verification messages. Do not assume a data-only plan includes calls or SMS. Internet access in mainland China differs from access at home; the UK government’s China travel advice notes that some familiar websites and services are blocked.

Before departure, save hotel addresses in Chinese, reservation references, key phone numbers and a copy of your itinerary offline. Set up any translation or navigation tool you plan to use and check which functions work offline. Keep access to the phone number linked to your payment accounts.

Documents and power banks

Carry the original passport used for your bookings, your visa if required, and the documents relevant to your entry route. Keep backup copies separately, but use the original document where identity checks require it. Choose insurance that covers your intended activities, and save the assistance details.

If your trip includes a domestic flight in China, check your power bank before packing: CAAC prohibits power banks without a clear CCC/3C marking and recalled models or batches. Power banks belong in cabin baggage, not checked baggage, and must not be used to charge devices during flight under CAAC’s carriage rules. Check your airline’s current capacity, quantity and handling requirements as well.

For chargers and other electrical devices, check the manufacturer’s input label and the plug needed at your accommodation. A plug adapter changes the connection; it does not convert voltage.

On arrival: entry formalities, customs and your transfer

Complete the arrival card through official channels

If an arrival card is required for your entry, use the NIA’s official online arrival-card service. The service is free. NIA confirms that travelers unable to complete it in advance can use facilities at the port, and paper cards remain available. See the official arrival-card notice.

An arrival card is separate from your visa or visa-free eligibility. Keep your passport, accommodation details and onward itinerary ready, and answer the immigration officer’s questions accurately.

Customs and getting to your hotel

Check the customs guide published by Shanghai’s government from GACC information before packing food, plant or animal products, medicines or other restricted items. Cash and reportable goods have declaration rules too. If you are unsure about an item at arrival, ask customs staff before choosing a channel.

For the airport transfer, compare the operating hours and luggage practicality of the airport train or metro with the official taxi queue or your prearranged pickup. Confirm the meeting point, exact hotel address and an accepted payment method. If arriving late, check the last train time for that airport instead of relying on a general city timetable.

Set up a payment method and keep a backup

Foreign visitors can link eligible overseas bank cards to Alipay or WeChat Pay for supported merchant purchases. The government’s payment guidance describes card linking and alternative payment methods. A Chinese bank account is not required for that eligible card-linking setup, but your card issuer, account checks and merchant can affect whether a payment succeeds.

Prepare the app before departure and keep a physical card and some RMB cash available. A merchant purchase, a personal transfer and a metro ride code are different functions; a card that works for shopping may not work with every QR code or wallet feature.

Our updated Alipay and WeChat Pay guide covers setup, the standard international-card fees, the 2026 WeChat new-user offer, failed payments and refunds. Check the fee on the payment screen and your bank’s separate charges before confirming a purchase.

Hotels and accommodation registration

Accommodation registration is required. Under the rule restated in NIA’s March 2026 announcement, hotels must register foreign guests and submit their accommodation information to the local public security authorities. Provide the documents requested at check-in.

For a stay outside a hotel, you or the person accommodating you must register with the public security authorities for that address within 24 hours of arriving at the accommodation. This includes staying with friends or family. Visa-free entry does not remove this obligation.

NIA launched an online-registration pilot in seven provincial-level regions in March 2026. Local online channels and coverage differ; do not assume one portal works for every address. Our accommodation registration guide explains the national pilot, local options, documents and what to do if an online submission fails. Keep the completed registration record and check the procedure whenever you move to a new address.

Before reserving a private apartment or homestay, confirm who handles registration and how. For any accommodation, check the address, transport access, check-in time and cancellation terms. A listing on a booking platform alone does not tell you how the registration will be completed.

Book trains carefully and check local transport

Foreign passengers can buy railway tickets using a valid passport. Start with China Railway’s official 12306 English website, and complete the required identity checks. Enter each passenger’s information accurately and carry the same original document for the journey.

Use our China high-speed train ticket guide for the booking window, passenger verification, children’s tickets, station checks, changes, refunds and electronic invoices. The railway ticketing rules govern the ticket; a request made through an intermediary is not proof that a ticket has been issued.

• Check the full station name. Beijing, Beijing South and Beijing West, for example, are different stations. Match your transfer to the station printed in your order.
• Allow time before boarding. Include getting to the station, security and any passport checks. Follow the station’s boarding deadline.
• Activate the right local ticket or ride code. Metro and bus payment options vary by city. Check the transport service rather than assuming a normal payment QR code will open the gate.

For journeys involving a flight, compare the full travel time and baggage rules with rail. For taxis or ride-hailing, confirm the pickup point, vehicle and destination before getting in. If you plan to drive yourself, arrange the required Chinese driving permission and insurance in advance; do not rely on an international driving permit alone.

Attractions, everyday travel and getting help

Check each attraction’s own booking rules

Some major sights require reservations linked to an identity document. For example, the Palace Museum’s official visitor instructions require advance booking with valid identification and give specific guidance for international visitors. Check the current official instructions for your visit date, enter the passport details correctly and bring the required original document.

Before fixing the day’s plan, check opening days, time slots, the correct entrance, any separately ticketed galleries and the terms for changes or refunds. A discount or free admission category may still require a reservation; eligibility is specific to the attraction.

Make everyday interactions easier

Keep addresses in Chinese for drivers, and ask for help when a menu or instruction is unclear. If you have a food allergy or another dietary requirement, carry an accurate Chinese explanation and confirm ingredients with staff. Follow posted rules at temples, museums and scenic areas, and ask permission before photographing people.

Save these help numbers

• 110: police.
• 119: fire.
• 120: ambulance.
• 12367: immigration and entry-exit questions; this is not an emergency-dispatch number.

The emergency numbers are listed by the Chinese government; the 12367 service includes English-language support. Save the address of your accommodation and your embassy or consulate’s contact details too. If your passport is lost, report it to the local police and contact your embassy or consulate promptly about replacement documents and the steps needed before departure.

Leaving China and claiming a shopping tax refund

Check your airline’s check-in and baggage deadlines, airport terminal and transfer time. Allow extra time if you need tax-refund formalities. Keep the relevant goods and documents accessible until you know whether customs needs to inspect them.

Shopping tax refunds: the basic conditions

A departure tax refund applies to eligible goods from designated refund stores and departure through a participating port. The tax authority’s visitor guidance sets out these basic conditions:

• The same visitor spends at least RMB 200 at the same participating store on the same day.
• The goods remain unused or unconsumed and leave with the visitor, either carried or checked as accompanied baggage.
• Departure is within 90 days of purchase, and the visitor meets the condition of no more than 183 consecutive days in mainland China before departure.
• The visitor obtains the sales invoice and refund application and completes the required departure procedure.

What changed in 2026

Under the 2026 national measures (Chinese), from July 1, refund applications with a sales value below RMB 10,000 are selected for physical inspection on a random basis; those of RMB 10,000 or more still receive individual physical checks. Paperless processing is also supported. Follow the system and customs instructions; a smaller purchase does not guarantee that inspection will be skipped.

The measures also standardize the departure deadline for refund-upon-purchase to 28 days. That is a separate service with its own agreement and conditions, not a replacement for the ordinary 90-day purchase-to-departure limit. Ask the participating store which service it offers, what guarantee it requires and which departure procedure applies. An English summary from the State Taxation Administration explains the upgrade.

Before paying for a major purchase, confirm eligibility and the estimated refund after any service fee. Keep digital records accessible and carry any documents provided by the store. An in-store advance refund does not remove the need to complete departure formalities.

China travel: common questions

About the author and this update

Ning (宁) is Tocntravel’s founder and route planning lead. Meet Ning and the team. Route-planning suggestions reflect the purpose of this travel guide; official bodies, operators and service providers set the rules for entry, transport and payments.

Updated September 7, 2026: aligned the entry, visa, registration, rail and payment sections with our updated detailed guides; clarified the 24-hour registration requirement; and added the preparation checklist, official arrival-card channel, battery guidance and 2026 tax-refund changes.

Official sources are linked beside the relevant facts. Rules that depend on your nationality, address, account or travel date should be checked for your own circumstances. Found an error or a newer official notice? Contact Tocntravel about this guide.