Before landing: keep the essentials offline
Save your hotel’s Chinese name, full address, branch and phone number; your booking; and the instructions for your first transfer. Download a Chinese translation pack. Keep your original passport, entry documents, a bank card and a charged phone accessible.
Queues, luggage, traffic and check-in times vary. A late-night arrival may mean going straight to your hotel and doing the meal and metro steps the next day.
Arrivals → connection → money → transfer.
Check in → eat nearby → rest → a simple metro trip.
01 · Follow arrivals, then collect your luggage
After getting off the planeFollow the signs for arrivals and immigration. Have your passport and requested entry information ready. After the border check, collect checked baggage, then follow Customs instructions before entering public arrivals. Connecting passengers should follow their airline’s transfer instructions.
If you need an arrival card, the National Immigration Administration offers an online service. Its language menu includes English, French, Spanish and Arabic. If you could not complete it ahead of time, follow the instructions at the airport for on-site or paper options.
Open the official arrival-card service ↗
At Customs, choose the declaration channel appropriate to your goods. Ask staff if you are unsure; do not guess. This guide does not determine your entry eligibility.
Visit the airline’s baggage-service desk before leaving the baggage area. Keep your baggage tag and obtain the report and contact details.
02 · Get a working connection
Before leaving the airportTurn on the data plan you arranged before departure, following your provider’s activation instructions. Open a map and your hotel address to test it. A travel eSIM may be data-only and may not provide a mainland phone number.
Check your mobile data
Illustrated settings checklist, not a phone screenshot. Labels and supported features vary by device.
If you need a local SIM, use an official telecom counter and bring your passport. Confirm the price, validity, data allowance and whether calls are included. Ask staff to activate it and test data before you leave.
If connection fails, ask the airport information desk about Wi-Fi verification or a telecom service counter. Save or write down the Chinese hotel address before moving on. Airport Wi-Fi procedures differ, and some require identity verification.
03 · Keep a payment fallback
While airport services are nearbyTry your prepared wallet with a small purchase such as water. If it fails, use your backup and troubleshoot later with a reliable connection. Card support, verification and merchant acceptance can differ.
To withdraw renminbi, choose an ATM showing the same card-network logo as your card. Select a language you understand, review fees and exchange options, and collect both cash and card. Your bank and the ATM operator may charge fees or apply limits.
Try a staffed bank or an authorized exchange counter. Check the rate and fee before exchanging; keep the receipt.
Cash provides a backup for a taxi or a small purchase. Do not assume every taxi accepts an international bank card.
04 · Get to the right hotel
Leaving public arrivalsChoose transport for your arrival time, luggage and energy level. A rail link can be convenient when it runs near your hotel; an official taxi can simplify a late arrival or a journey with heavy luggage.
Follow airport signs to the taxi queue. Show the exact Chinese address and hotel branch. Confirm how you can pay and keep the receipt.
Use the pickup location shown in the app. It may be separate from the taxi queue. Match the vehicle plate and driver details before getting in.
Check the operating hours, required transfers and final station exit. Ask staff about a single-journey ticket if your mobile transit code is not ready.
Follow your booking’s meeting-point instructions. Confirm the driver through the contact details from your booking if you cannot find them.
请带我去这家酒店。
Please take me to this hotel.
Attach the hotel’s Chinese name, full address and branch from your booking.Check the last service before choosing rail. Confirm late check-in with your hotel and keep its phone number available.
05 · Check in, charge up and reset
At your accommodationPresent your original passport at reception. Hotels handle accommodation registration. Ask about the deposit and how it is returned, the room-ready time and luggage storage if you arrive early.
Get the hotel’s address in Chinese, front-desk contact details and the nearest useful transport stop. Charge your phone, connect to Wi-Fi and take a short rest before heading out.
You or your host must arrange accommodation registration within 24 hours after arrival. The NIA offers an online registration service; check its current guidance for the required information and process.
06 · Order something simple nearby
Your first mealChoose somewhere with a visible menu or pictures, check the dish and price, and ask staff for help if QR ordering is difficult. Explain dietary needs clearly. A dish that looks vegetarian may contain meat stock; “less spicy” does not communicate an allergy.
请问，有菜单吗？
Excuse me, do you have a menu?
Two ways to pay with Alipay
The official guide below shows two different actions. Use the one the merchant asks for, then check the amount and payment result.
1 · You scan the merchant’s code
Open Scan, scan the merchant’s collection code and follow the prompts. Confirm the recipient and amount before paying.
2 · The merchant scans your payment code
Open Pay/Receive or the payment-code feature and show the live code to the cashier. Never send a screenshot of your own payment code.
07 · Try one easy metro journey
Later that day, or the next morningStart with a straightforward journey, preferably without transfers. Save your destination’s Chinese name and check the line direction and station exit before setting off.
Illustrated journey sequence. Ticket types and payment options differ by city.
If using a mobile metro code, select the correct city and activate an eligible payment method first. A normal shop payment code is not the same as a transit code. Ask station staff for help or buy a single ticket if activation fails.
Follow the gate instructions for your ticket type: some physical single tickets are collected at the exit, while QR tickets are scanned. Do not assume an overseas bank card can be tapped at every city’s gates.
Finish with a short walk and an early night. Tomorrow is a better time for an ambitious sightseeing plan.
A few common questions
What if my phone or wallet does not work?
Use your saved Chinese hotel address and a cash or card fallback. Ask an airport information desk, telecom counter or hotel reception for help. Sort the account problem on a stable connection instead of doing it while rushing for transport.
Does my first day need to follow these exact timings?
No. These are stages, not a schedule. Arrival queues, traffic, your flight time and the hotel’s check-in time determine the pace. For a late arrival, keep food and sightseeing simple and try the metro the next morning.
Do I need a mainland Chinese phone number for everything?
No. Some services accept overseas numbers, while others may require a local number or extra verification. Check the particular service and keep your home number available for needed bank messages.
Are the pictures real app screenshots?
The two Alipay interface excerpts are from the linked official payment guide. The mobile-data checklist, arrival signs and metro sequence are original explanatory illustrations, clearly labelled as such.
Sources & editorial notes
Use the official sources below for current requirements. Travel plans and individual circumstances vary.