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Things to know before visiting China for the first time

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Travelling to China for the first time, there are several things to know before visiting China that will help make your experience smoother, more enjoyable, and less stressful. Trust me – I really wish I knew some of these things before we went to China and before I started booking my trip!

Everything from understanding their unique payment methods and navigating without Google Maps, to booking trains and attractions, overcoming the language barrier, grasping local customs and navigating around the social media and website bans.

Ashun Lang Bridge in Chengdu China
Ashun Lang Bridge in Chengdu China

Things to know before visiting China for the first time

Table of contents

China Key Information

Things to know before visiting China

MY TOP PLACES TO VISIT

Shanghai

Beijing

Harbin

Chengdu

Zhangjiajie

HOW TO GET AROUND

The best way to get around is by high speed bullet trains or by planes. Taxis are also cheap and can be booked using DiDi APP

Book Trains here in English

HOTELS AND GUESTHOUSES

We used the Trip app to book all our Hotels & Guesthouses, they have a much larger selection than any other 3rd party site and offer a great extra discount if you book your train or planes

CURRENCY

¥: The currency in China is the Renminbi (RMB), abbreviated as CNY (Chinese Yuan).

WHEN TO VISIT

Summer: June to August

Spring: March to May

Winter: December to February

Autumn: September to November

PAYMENTS

You will need to download the Wechat or Alipay app and connect a card. We suggest using a Wise card for the best rates.

NECESSARY APPS

PureVPN

WeChat(Messaging & Payments)

Ali Pay 支付宝 (Payments)

DiDi APP (Taxis)

Trip app (Trains, Tours & Accom)

Wise Card (Currency)

Apple Maps or Baidu App

Translation App

Esim

Overcoming social media / website bans

China has strict restrictions when it comes to internet access, with many popular social media platforms and websites, such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, Google and Gmail, blocked across the country.

However, there is a way around these restrictions and that is by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN masks your IP address and routes your internet connection to servers outside of China, giving you access to blocked websites and apps.

TIP: Make sure you set up your VPN BEFORE you leave your home country, you will NOT be able to do it once you are in china.

We use PureVPN, we find it reliable, with over 3 million subscribers and it is also one of the cheapest options. Checkout their deal where you also get a 1GB esim!

Zhangjiajie Cable Car and Glass Elevator
Zhangjiajie Cable Car and Glass Elevator

Internet & Data: Tips to stay connected in China

Staying connected when visiting China is essential, especially for navigation and translation. The best way to do this is by using an Esim. With an Esim, you won’t have to swap out your SIM card or deal with inflated international roaming fees. We recommend Airalo, one of the most reliable and trusted Esim providers on the market.

Navigating & booking trains in China

Booking Bullet Trains in China

One most important things to know before visiting China is that you’ll need to book your bullet train tickets in advance. During peak travel times, trains can sell out quickly, often within minutes of the booking window opening, which is 15 days prior.

The Trip app allows you to book tickets even further in advance and will automatically complete the booking for you the moment tickets become available. You can select multiple times for a better chance of securing tickets and / or choose your preferred seats.

Before we fully understood the system, we missed out on several train tickets, but the Trip app’s live chat feature was a game changer. We chatted with an agent who shared helpful strategies to ensure we didn’t miss out on future tickets, which we have now shared with you.

What’s also great is that the customer service team and the platform are user-friendly, making it easy to change train times, cancel, and get a refund if needed. China Trains offer flexible booking and refund policies, so booking in advance is less stressful, even if your plans change.

Tips for booking bullet trains tickets:

  1. Book ALL bullet trains in advance!
  2. Book using the Trip app
  3. The booking window for booking bullet trains is 15 days but you can book earlier than this on the Trip app and then they get the tickets for you the second they become available.
  4. During peak season make sure your select multiple times options, this will increase your chances of getting tickets. (this has to be done on the App, not the website)
  5. If you miss out, Trip app will keep you on a waitlist, and if tickets arise, which they do, then Trip will be alerted and purchase your tickets.
  6. The most chances of getting waitlisted tickets are within 24 hours of booking or within 3 days of your train ride.
  7. Tickets can be changed within the Trip app or a refund requested.
  8. Tickets can only be changed or refunded at the train station on the day of your travel.

Tips for travelling on bullet trains in China

  1. Arrive 30-40 minutes prior. There is a lot of security to go through at the entrance, and at peak times, there can be a line.
  2. The platform will open up 15minutes prior to the train’s departure time.
  3. Check the board for your train number and platform.
  4. The train numbers are always in English, as are the platform numbers and station names.
  5. Your passport is used at the time of booking your tickets, and scanning your passport is essentially your ticket. No need for any QR codes or tickets.
  6. Before you get to your platform check your carriage number and seat numbers.
  7. The carriage numbers are set out on the platform and on the carriages.
  8. Standing tickets mean you haven’t been assigned a seat, but if there are vacant ones, you can occupy them. However, be aware that at each station, a passenger with a reserved seat may board, so you might find yourself “seat hopping” or, as your ticket category suggests, standing.

Metro Trains in China

Pick up a Metro Card at your first destination, as you’ll likely take a train from the airport to the city. For example, when we landed in Beijing, we bought a Beijing Metro card that worked throughout all of China. Metro trains are very affordable, and we loaded our card with about $15 AUD, which lasted us two weeks of travel.

Navigating trains in China

Unfortunately, Google Maps does not work in China, even with a VPN, as most places are not listed.

Instead, we mainly used Apple Maps to navigate, this was extremely easy, it gave a full description of the times, lines, stations and any line changes required.

You can also download and use the Baidu Map App.

Wangxian Valley Scenic Spot Temple / Look out
Wangxian Village China

Hailing Taxi’s / Rideshares in China

We used DiDi APP mostly and found they were usually cheaper than taxis. It also saved us trying to explain where we wanted to go and struggling with the translation.

Money

Another important thing to know before visiting China is how they pay for things. It is very different from every other country I have been to and is not just a case of pulling out your bank card.

  1. MONEY APPS: Cash and bank cards are not used at all in China. Instead, they use apps like WeChat and Ali Pay 支付宝. You can link your bank card to your Alipay or WeChat to tap to pay. The first time may be a little daunting but it is very easy to use.
  2. MONEY CARDS: We linked our Wise card to our WeChat / Alipay to ensure we got the best exchange rates. Wise cards offer a far better rate than our bank or physical exchanges and we use this everywhere we travel.
  3. We preferred WeChat as we used this for messaging as well and found it easier to use.

Prebooking attractions in China

PRE-Purchase attractions as they sell out. We booked our attractions through Klook, and you can use our code TRAVELLIVNKLOOK for up to 10% off.

72 Strange Buildings at night
72 Strange Buildings

Language barriers in China

LANGUAGE: There is very little English spoken throughout all of China, so it’s important to download a good translator app so that you can communicate and read menus and signs etc.

General tips and things to know before visiting China

  • Wear comfortable walking shoes – You’ll be doing a lot of walking. Comfort is key!
  • Brace for crowds and personal space – China can be VERY BUSY, especially in major cities. It is not uncommon to be pushed in on, so you have to be bold when dealing with crowds.
  • Check for the weather extremes – China’s climate varies greatly depending on the region and season. Be sure to check the weather for your travel dates, as you could face extreme heat or cold.
  • Learn some basic Chinese phrases – While major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have some English speakers, it’s helpful to learn a few essential phrases in Mandarin to make your travels smoother.
  • Have cash on hand – Although mobile payments like Alipay and WeChat Pay are 99% used everywhere, in case of emergency it’s good to carry some cash.
  • Respect local customs and etiquette – Chinese culture values respect, particularly towards elders and authority. A little awareness of cultural norms can go a long way, such as avoiding overly loud conversations in public or giving your seat to elders, or pregnant / women with young children.
Panda at the Chengdu Panda Base
Panda at the Chengdu Panda Base

Planning your trip to China

We used the Trip app to book all our Hotels & Guesthouses, they have a much larger selection than any other 3rd party site and offer a great extra discount if you book your train or planes

You can also find below the rest of our China Itineraries, Guides, Tips and things to know before visiting China for the first time:-

Where to next?

Philippines
Vietnam
Japan
Mexico
Egypt
Greece

About me

Hey, nice to meet you, I’m Shannon Thomson and I am a Diploma Qualified Photographer and Social Media / Marketing graduate with a passion and love for Travel.

I have been lucky enough to be working in the field of Travel, and as a successful Social Media Manager, Content Creator and Blogger for the past 6 years. Throughout this time, I have been lucky enough to travel to some of the most sought out destinations around the world.

Within this Blog you will find all my best travel tips, guides and itineraries.

MY Top 5 favorite countries: Japan, China, Egypt, Tanzania, Philippines!

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