Stage 3 of 4

During Your Stay

Day-to-day survival skills: paying, getting around, ordering food, staying healthy, and spotting the few scams that actually target tourists. Check items off as you go.

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01 Carry your passport — always China requires foreigners to carry their original passport at all times. Police checks are rare but legal, and train stations, some attractions and even certain payment verifications may ask for it. What to do: carry the original in a zippered pocket or neck pouch; keep a photo copy on your phone as a backup. If stuck: a photo copy plus your hotel address usually resolves routine checks, but the original is what the law requires — do not leave it in the hotel safe for day trips outside the city.
02 Carry some cash as a safety net Cards and QR payments cover 95% of situations, but taxis, small stalls and older shops sometimes only take cash or the one app you do not have. Foreign cards also fail occasionally for no clear reason. What to do: keep ¥300–500 folded away, and know that Bank of China ATMs reliably accept foreign cards. Currency exchange at bank branches requires your passport. If stuck: any bank branch with a "Foreign Exchange" window helps; hotels can also change small amounts.
03 Getting around: metro codes, DiDi, high-speed rail Metro: in Alipay, open "Transport" to get a city transit QR code — no ticket machines needed. Taxis: use the DiDi mini-program inside Alipay or WeChat (English interface, shows the fare upfront); street taxis are fine too — insist on the meter. High-speed rail: book on Trip.com in English; your passport is the ticket — use it at the gates. What to do: for trains, arrive 30–45 minutes early; security checks at stations take time. If stuck: station staff have translation help points; showing your booking screen usually suffices.
04 Ordering food without Chinese Most restaurants use QR-code ordering at the table. In Alipay or WeChat, use the built-in "Scan to Translate" on the menu; pictures and portion sizes are usually visible. Pointing at a neighboring table’s dish works everywhere and is completely normal. What to do: sit down, scan the table QR, translate the menu, order, pay in-app. Street food stalls: point, pay by scanning their code. If stuck: KFC, McDonald’s and most mall restaurants have self-order kiosks with English; convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson) need no language at all.
05 Navigation that actually works Google Maps drifts and loads poorly in mainland China. Use Apple Maps (works well in English) or Amap (高德, the local standard, has an English mode), and Baidu Maps as backup. Metro route apps like MetroMan show every line offline. What to do: download your city’s offline map where the app supports it, and save your hotel location as a starred pin — showing it to any taxi driver beats any translation app. If stuck: every taxi driver understands a hotel business card or a Chinese-address screenshot.
06 If you get sick: hospitals & pharmacies For minor issues, pharmacies (药店) are everywhere — look for the green cross; show a translation of your symptom. For serious issues, go to a hospital emergency department (急诊) or call 120 for an ambulance. International clinics in major cities have English-speaking staff and direct insurance billing. What to do: carry your insurance card/policy number and passport to any hospital visit. If stuck: 120 works nationwide for medical emergencies; hotel concierges routinely arrange clinic appointments for guests.
07 The short list of scams that actually happen China is very safe by global standards, and violent crime against tourists is extremely rare. A few cons are worth knowing: the "tea ceremony / art student" scam (friendly strangers inviting you to an overpriced tea house or gallery), unofficial "taxi" touts at airports and stations, and fake websites charging fees for the free official arrival card. What to do: decline invitations from strangers that involve going somewhere; use only official taxi ranks and verified apps; use only official free government channels for forms. If stuck: call 110 (police). Overcharging scams: keep the receipt and call 12345, the city government hotline, which handles complaints in major cities.
08 Power plugs, voltage & staying charged China runs on 220V and uses three plug styles: the two-pin flat (like North America/Japan, but without the third pin), the two-pin round (European style), and the angled three-pin (Australian style). Most modern chargers work on 100–240V — check the small print on the plug. What to do: a cheap universal adapter covers everything; power banks (充电宝) can be rented at almost every shop and station via Alipay. If stuck: hotel front desks lend adapters; convenience stores sell them for a few yuan.