China Travel Basics

A first-time China travel basics guide covering payment, passport hotel check-in, domestic flights, trains, luggage, food restrictions, phone setup and daily backups.

How foreigners pay in China: set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with a foreign card, fees to expect, when cash or cards still work, and fixes when payment fails.

A practical China visitor guide for conference and event attendees, covering arrival day setup, payments, hotel passport check-in, transport, domestic flights and hosting resources.

Step-by-step WeChat Pay setup for foreigners: link a foreign card, check identity prompts, pay by QR code, understand fees and troubleshoot failed payments.

Plan 10 days in China with a Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi’an and Beijing route. Count transfer days and compare a slower three-city alternative.

A practical guide to China domestic flight power bank rules after the CCC mark enforcement notice, including what to check before security and what to replace before flying.

How to handle luggage during China train station layovers, including left-luggage counters, lockers, nearby shops, timing risk and what to keep with you.

Take the power bank out of your bag and make sure staff can read its model, voltage and capacity. Check your exact model and batch against the manufacturer and official recall notice.

In China, strict vegetarians should not rely on “no meat” alone. Check broth, oil, seasonings and small toppings, prepare a short Chinese vegetarian card, save restaurants before arrival and keep backup food for arrival and transfer days.

I used to treat a confirmed booking as the end of the hotel problem. After one transfer-night front desk delay, I now check whether the hotel can handle foreign passport check-in before I compare price.

How foreign visitors should prepare for hotel check-in in China, including passport registration, booking confirmation, late arrival risk and what to do if a hotel cannot process your stay.

A practical China ordering card for vegetarian, vegan and food-restriction travelers, with Chinese phrases, what hidden ingredients to watch for and safer restaurant choices.

Plan a 2-week China itinerary through Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu and Shanghai, with a Chongqing variation and a shorter 7-day option.