Install a system.
Not a collection.
Choose one working route for each travel job, test it before departure, and keep a low-tech fallback. More icons do not create more resilience.
Payment · translation · map · rail if used · ride-hailing if used · original booking providers
Assign one owner to every travel job
Alipay or WeChat/Weixin payment route you have completed and tested
Physical card + RMB cashA provider-supported translation tool with your languages downloaded if available
Saved bilingual phrasesA map that displays your saved Chinese place names and pins correctly
Chinese addresses + screenshotsOfficial 12306 English website/app if your itinerary uses rail
Original passport + station counterDidi-Greater China, AMap Global, Alipay or WeChat route you have tested
Staffed taxi + written destinationThe airline, hotel or booking platform that actually owns the reservation
Offline confirmation + support detailsSet up one payment route completely
Good first setup route
Official visitor guidance supports foreign or Chinese mobile-number registration and eligible international-card binding. Follow the live app prompts and issuer verification.
Open the setup guide →Useful overlap, not a requirement
Official guidance also names WeChat/Weixin for payment and ride-hailing. Only enable services you can secure and understand; interfaces and eligibility can vary.
Compare payment routes →Keep card and cash
A linked card can still be rejected by the issuer, payment platform, transaction risk control or merchant scenario.
Use the operator route when timing matters
Order, change and refund near the railway operator
China Railway identifies 12306.cn and its mobile app as official channels. Foreign passports are supported under the current English service; carry the original document to travel.
Choose the access point you can identify
Use the mainland Didi service or the current AMap Global ride-hailing entry; Alipay and WeChat also provide access routes. Confirm the pickup pin, plate and destination, and never install an unverified lookalike.
Test the result, not the brand name
- Save the hotel and airport/station in Chinese.
- Confirm the pin matches the written address.
- Check walking and driving entrances separately.
- Save a screenshot and phone number offline.
- Download your language and Simplified Chinese if the provider supports offline files.
- Switch to airplane mode.
- Translate typed text and one saved screenshot.
- Save critical phrases; verify important medical or legal wording independently.
A map pin and a translated name are both provisional until the booking or venue record agrees. Verify the Chinese name, address, phone and operational entrance; use Dola or DeepSeek only as optional online AI help.
Can the next hour still work?
Before flying, turn on airplane mode and prove that you can find the next address, booking, station, contact, translation phrase and payment fallback without opening a new cloud session.
Build the offline packInstall before departure—share less
Use your phone’s official app store or a provider-owned page. Avoid APK files, QR codes and links from unknown “helpers.”
Grant location, camera, contacts or photo access only when the function needs it. Review each live prompt.
Maintain access to the email, phone number or issuer verification route used by the account.
Do not send payment codes, SMS codes, passwords, full card data or unmasked passport images to an ordinary chat.
China travel apps FAQ
Which apps are essential for a first trip to China?
Build by function: one payment route, one offline translation route, one map you have tested, the official 12306 route if using trains, a ride-hailing route if needed, and the apps or websites that own your flight and hotel bookings. You do not need every popular China app.
Should I install both Alipay and WeChat?
They can overlap, but you should only set up services you understand and can secure. China’s official visitor guide lists Alipay and WeChat/Weixin among mobile-payment and ride-hailing routes. Keep a physical card and RMB cash as independent backups.
Is 12306 required to take trains?
No. China Railway also sells tickets through official station counters and other railway channels. The official English website or app is valuable because it keeps the order, change and refund route close to the railway operator.
What should work without mobile data?
At minimum, keep Chinese addresses, booking confirmations, passport-safe booking details, emergency numbers, a translation phrase set and the next transfer step available offline. If your translation app supports offline language downloads, install and test the required languages before departure.
App functions checked here
Reviewed 23 August 2026. App interfaces, languages, account eligibility, payment networks and device availability change. Live provider prompts and agreements control.
- State Council — 2025 guide for foreign visitorsMobile payment apps, 12306, metro, Alipay/WeChat/Didi ride routes, hotels and foreign-number/card support.
- China Railway 12306 — official English FAQOfficial rail channels, foreign passports and operator-owned ticket services.
- Apple Support — offline translation settingsDownloaded languages, on-device mode and offline-accuracy caveat.
- Google Translate Help — offline language downloadsSupported offline language packs and offline camera translation boundary.
- State Council — overseas visitor payment guideMobile payment, cards, cash and translation-enabled visitor services.