● Visa-free: 50 countries, up to 30 days ● 240-hour transit: 65 ports Last checked: June 2026
ChinaforNewcomers
Shanghai skyline at golden hour, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower
First trip · No Chinese needed

China is easier than the internet made you think. Here's proof.

Plain answers to the things that actually trip people up — paying without a Chinese bank card, getting a taxi, staying online. Written for people landing for the first time.

Start with the basics →
Entry — at a glance 2026
30 Days visa-free, most visitors
240h Transit without a visa
2 Apps run almost everything
0 Mandarin required to manage
Entry policy · checked against official sources

What's actually true about entering China right now

Last verified
14 June 2026
Reviewed monthly
0
Countries: full visa-free entry
Ordinary-passport holders from these countries can enter for tourism, business or family visits for up to 30 days, no visa needed.
Source · National Immigration Admin.
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Countries: 240-hour transit visa-free
If you're passing through to a third country, citizens of these countries can stay up to 10 days via any of 65 ports across 24 provinces.
Source · National Immigration Admin.
0 days
Visa-free stay length
Counted from midnight on the day after you arrive — not the moment you land. Plan your departure date around that.
Source · China Consular Affairs
0h
Transit stay, no visa
The transit window is 240 hours (10 days), raised from the old 72/144-hour rules. You need an onward ticket to a third country.
Source · National Immigration Admin.
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Limit on visa-free entries
There's currently no cap on how many times you can enter visa-free, or on total days — as long as your activities match your stated purpose.
Source · China Consular Affairs
RMB
Cash is your legal right
Phones run almost everything, but merchants are not allowed to refuse Chinese cash. Carrying a little is a fair backup.
Source · People's Bank of China
Figures reflect official policy as of the date shown. Policies change — these are verified monthly. If a source link has moved: nia.gov.cn · cs.mfa.gov.cn
Budget estimator

So, roughly — what's this going to cost?

A realistic range based on real traveler spending, not a guess. Adjust the sliders for your trip.

Available in 한국어 · 日本語 · Русский · हिन्दी — see the language selector below

Trip length7 days
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Now go sort these out Set up Alipay → Book trains → Install the apps →
Estimates only, based on typical 2026 traveler spending. Excludes international flights and visa fees. Actual costs vary by city, season and booking timing.
01  The four things to sort out first
Staying online

Keep Google and WhatsApp working — and don't break your payments

An eSIM and a VPN, both set up before you fly. Plus the one setting that quietly causes most failed payments.

Read the guide → Payments

How to pay for anything without a Chinese bank account

The "you'll be stranded" panic is outdated. Link one card to Alipay and you can pay almost everywhere by phone.

Read the guide → Getting around

Taxis and directions without speaking Chinese

Use DiDi and Amap, skip Google Maps (it's unreliable here), and keep one screenshot that saves every taxi ride.

Read the guide → Before you fly

The five apps to install before you land

Skip the 50-app lists. Here's the short kit that covers paying, moving and staying online — plus three habits that prevent disasters.

Read the guide →
02  Before you go, know these too
Safety

Is China safe? An honest answer

Yes — among the safest countries for street crime, solo and female travelers included. The real risks aren't what headlines suggest.

Read the guide → Trains

Booking high-speed trains with a passport

12306 vs Trip.com, the verification delay that catches people out, and how to get through those airport-sized stations.

Read the guide → Daily basics

Tap water, toilets, tipping — the stuff nobody warns you about

Don't drink the tap, carry tissues, don't tip. Plus the small day-bag kit that prevents most awkward moments.

Read the guide → Etiquette

Manners that help, without the anxiety

Why people may stare (it's curiosity), a few easy chopstick and gift customs, and what you genuinely don't need to worry about.

Read the guide →
02  City guides
PVG
Shanghai
Airport to city · Metro · The easiest first landing
→
PEK
Beijing
Great Wall day trips · Forbidden City booking · Metro
→
HAK
Hainan
59-country visa-free entry · Beach season timing
→
CTU
Chengdu
Pandas without the tour markup · Food streets
→

Why trust this

Every visa and policy claim links back to its official source. We don't guess at rules that can change your trip.

Why it's free

Some booking links earn us a small commission. That's never the reason something is recommended here.

Why it stays current

Every guide carries a checked-on date. If it looks old, treat it as a starting point and confirm before you rely on it.