Your phone is your wallet, map, translator, and ticket office in China. Install everything before you fly — Google Play is blocked inside China.
The essential five
- Alipay — payments, metro codes, Didi, mini-programs for almost everything. Bind your foreign card at home.
- WeChat — messaging plus payments. Also how guides, drivers, and new friends will want to contact you.
- Amap (Gaode) — the best maps app; has an English interface. Accurate transit directions.
- Didi — China's ride-hailing. English interface, in-app translation with drivers, pay via the app.
- Trip.com — English-friendly booking for trains, flights, and hotels; the easiest way to buy train tickets as a foreigner.
Strongly recommended
- 12306 — official rail app (English version available) for high-speed train tickets
- Pleco — the gold-standard Chinese-English dictionary with camera OCR
- Microsoft Translator or Google Translate (download the offline Chinese pack before arrival)
- Meituan — food delivery and restaurant reviews (Chinese only, but usable with camera translation)
Before-you-fly checklist
- Download offline maps for your cities (Google Maps data for China is outdated and offset — use it only as backup)
- Download offline translation packs
- Install and test your connectivity solution (many overseas sites/apps are blocked in China)
- Screenshot your first hotel's name and address in Chinese for the taxi driver
Pro tip: Register WeChat with your home number. Some features (like receiving red packets) need verification, but messaging and payments work fine for tourists.