Your China travel checklist

Check that your exact phone can use an eSIM before buying a plan. Model names alone can be misleading, especially when a phone has different regional versions. InBuddy's device check helps you review compatibility before purchase. Keep your EID private; you do not need to put it into this checklist.

Read the plan's installation and activation instructions, then install while you have a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Keep those instructions available for arrival day, and check which SIM your phone uses for mobile data. A purchase or an opened guide does not mean installation is finished. Tick this item when you have checked compatibility and prepared your connection.

Start with one official payment app. Add the other later if you want a backup. Have your passport, bank card and a phone number that can receive SMS ready, then follow the setup steps inside Alipay or WeChat. Those apps show their current verification and card-linking requirements.

Check any fees, limits and bank approval requests shown during setup. Linking a card does not guarantee every payment will work, so keep a little cash available as a backup. InBuddy's payment guide opens the official apps and helps you ask a local Buddy if setup goes wrong. Mark this task done after you have finished the setup you need, rather than after downloading an app.

Find the Chinese name, correct branch and full street address for your first hotel. An English booking name may not be enough for a driver, and chains can have several branches in the same city. Compare the address with your booking confirmation before you save it.

Keep a screenshot or offline copy that you can show when you arrive. If you have several hotel stays, label each address so you can choose the right one on the day. InBuddy's hotel preferences and driver card help you keep those details handy. Selecting a map result does not confirm that it matches your booking. Tick this item only after you have checked the branch and saved the address in Chinese.

Make an offline pack with your passport photo page, any visa you need to show, flight bookings, hotel confirmation and key addresses. Include your insurance policy number and emergency contact details. Keep the files somewhere you can open without a working internet connection.

Try opening the saved copies before you travel. A link to a cloud folder may still need a connection or a sign-in, and a photograph does not replace the original passport or other required documents. Keep the originals ready for travel and protect the copies with your device's security settings. This website stores only checklist ticks, never your passport, bookings or insurance files. Mark the task done once your own offline pack is ready.

Bring an adapter marked for mainland China. Sockets vary, so a Europe-only plug may not fit. China uses 220V / 50Hz. Read Beijing's electrical-appliance guidance and the official supply rules, articles 6 and 7, in Chinese. Read the input label on each charger; a label showing 100–240V, 50/60Hz covers that supply. A plug adapter does not change voltage.

Taking a domestic flight in China? Check your power bank before packing. CAAC bars power banks with missing or unclear CCC markings and recalled models or batches on domestic flights. Check your airline's other battery rules too. Read the CAAC domestic-flight power-bank notice. Carry power banks in cabin baggage, never checked baggage. Read the CAAC power-bank baggage rules in Chinese. Check the readable energy rating and your airline's current rules, including any approval needed for larger batteries. Tick this item once you have checked your adapter, charger and power bank.

Check entry rules for the passport you will travel on, your trip purpose and your planned stay. Ordinary visa-free entry and visa-free transit have different conditions. A transit rule can depend on your arrival port, permitted travel area and confirmed onward journey to a third country or region.

Read the National Immigration Administration's official guidance and check your airline's document requirements before departure. If you need a visa, allow time to arrange it through the appropriate official channel. Our China visa-free transit guide explains what to check; it does not guarantee admission. Keep required travel documents and onward bookings ready. Mark this item done when you have checked the rules that apply to your actual journey.