Everything to finish before you board, in the order to do it — visa, payments, connectivity, tickets, apps and packing. Work through it top to bottom and you will land ready, not scrambling.
Do these in order
Check your visa first
Check whether your passport is visa-free, and if not, read the tourist (L) visa guide before you book anything non-refundable.
Set up Alipay, then WeChat Pay
Install both at home, link a card and test a small payment. China runs on QR codes — do not leave this to arrival day.
Sort your eSIM or SIM
Pick an eSIM or a local SIM before you fly, and check what works online in China so you are not locked out of the apps you need.
Book your train tickets
Book intercity trains early, check seat classes, and save your station names in Chinese characters for taxi drivers and signs.
Book attraction tickets
Popular sights need advance booking. Book the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Terracotta Army before you go.
Set up DiDi and city transport
Set up DiDi in the payment app, download a metro map, and learn how to get around cities on arrival day.
Download translation apps
Download a translation app with offline Chinese, plus a few essential phrases, before you need them at a restaurant or station.
Carry cash and a backup card
Take some small-bill cash, a backup card, and know where ATMs are — even though most places take QR payment.
Pack with the checklist
Documents, adapters, apps and clothing by season — the full packing checklist, not a guess from memory.
The night before you fly
- Passport, visa or visa-free eligibility, and hotel confirmations saved on your phone and on paper.
- Alipay and WeChat Pay tested, DiDi set up, translation app downloaded for offline use.
- Train tickets and attraction tickets booked, station and hotel names saved in Chinese characters.
- Phone charged, power bank packed, and a small amount of cash in small bills.
On arrival, in this order: get online, open DiDi or the metro, check into your hotel with your passport, then test a QR payment at the first shop. If one payment app fails, try the other — that is why you set up both. See hotel check-in and getting around cities.