First-timer essentials
The things that go wrong before lunchtime: money, SIM, plugs, airport transfer, first train ride.
Almost nothing that upsets new arrivals is exotic. It is a card that does not tap, a SIM you cannot top up at 11pm, a laptop plug that does not fit, or an airport taxi queue that costs an hour. Each of those is a five-minute fix if you know it in advance and a day-long detour if you do not.
These guides are deliberately operational: what to install before you fly, what to do at the counter, and what to say. Read two of them on the plane and you will not need the rest on arrival.
Paying In China: What Actually Works At The Counter
Alipay and WeChat Pay with a foreign card, plus the handful of places where you’ll still need cash.
The 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Rule, Explained Plainly
Ten days, no visa — but only if you arrive from one country and leave for a third.
Getting Online In China: SIM, eSIM, And Which One To Choose
A local SIM is cheapest; a travel eSIM is fastest to set up. Bring your passport either way.
Plug Types In China: The One Thing Every Visitor Gets Slightly Wrong
Most laptops charge fine. It is the voltage that kills things, not the plug shape.
First Time In China: What Surprises Almost Everybody
Everything that feels like a barrier turns out to be a five-minute problem, once you know it is coming.
Getting Around Chinese Cities: Metro, Taxi, And When To Stop Walking
Learn the first ride properly and the other twenty take care of themselves.
Booking Train Tickets In China: The App, The Window, And The ID Rule
Buy it the moment your plans are firm. Popular services really do sell out.
Beijing Airports To The City: Capital, Daxing And What Each Costs
The express train is ¥25 or ¥35 and beats a taxi at any hour except the middle of the night.
Shanghai Pudong To Central Shanghai: Maglev, Metro Or Taxi
Twenty to thirty minutes of planning saves an hour at the arrivals kerb.