Alipay, DiDi, SIM cards, VPN — everything you should set up before the plane lands, in the order that matters.
China's daily life runs on apps you've never used, and a few services you rely on at home simply don't work here. Tick these off before boarding — once you're on the ground, some can't be fixed anymore.
Also bring $70–140 (~¥500–1,000) in cash as emergency backup and a screenshot of your hotel address in Chinese characters.
Without a working payment app, you can't buy water, pay a taxi, or order at most restaurants. Set this up before flying — the verification takes minutes at home and is far easier than doing it on hotel WiFi.
No data = no Alipay, no DiDi, no maps. Buy a SIM at the airport before leaving the arrivals hall — it's the single best $14 (~¥100) you'll spend.
Kiosks in the arrivals hall (open 24/7) sell tourist plans on the spot. Bring your original passport (copies won't work) and your visa — registration includes a face scan. The staff will install and activate the card for you; they do this dozens of times a day for tourists.
| Carrier | Tourist Plan | Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Mobile | Welcome Pack | 10 GB / 30 days | $14 (~¥100) |
| China Unicom | Traveler Plan | 20 GB / 15 days | $11 (~¥80) |
Prices are slightly higher than city-center stores (10–20%), but for the first day you'll happily pay that premium.
Airalo and Holafly sell China data-only eSIMs you install at home and activate on landing. No passport, no registration, keep your home number for calls.
The catch: you get no Chinese phone number, which blocks app registration on some platforms (12306, Meituan), and eSIMs occasionally fail to receive SMS codes from Chinese services. Treat it as your arrival bridge while you sort out a real SIM, or skip it if you're staying a few days only.
~$5–15 for 3–10 GB over 7–30 days.
Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Google Maps are blocked in China. VPNs must be installed and tested before you fly — once you're in-country, their websites won't load and you can't download them.
Reliable in China (as of 2026): LetsVPN (~$5/mo), Astrill (~$15–30/mo), Mullvad (WireGuard).
Unreliable: NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark — aggressively blocked, frequently dead on arrival.
Install two different VPNs. Turn the VPN on before connecting to Chinese WiFi or mobile data. When one drops, the other is your lifeline — and yes, they do drop, usually mid-Google-Maps-check.
Google Maps is useless here — wrong coordinates, outdated data, no transit info. Here's what locals and smart tourists actually use.
DiDi is cheaper than hailing a taxi, quotes the price up front (no meter games), and tracks your driver in real time. You don't even need the separate DiDi app — it runs inside WeChat:
No WeChat? Same flow inside Alipay → Transport → DiDi, paid via Alipay. Airport pickups use dedicated ride-hailing zones — follow the signs in the arrivals hall.
Ten lines, English signs and announcements, fares $0.30–1.10 (~¥2–8). Pay with Alipay's transport QR code:
Full station-by-station detail lives in our Xi'an Travel Tips page.
| App | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Apple Maps | Best choice — powered by Amap data, English interface, decent walking & transit directions. If you have an iPhone, stop reading here. |
| Google Maps | Useless — wrong coordinates, stale data, blocked without VPN anyway. |
| Baidu Maps / Amap | Most accurate data, Chinese-only UI. Fine for cross-checking; screenshots + Apple Maps is the practical combo. |
One app handles all three for foreigners: Trip.com. Foreign cards, English support, passport booking — no Chinese phone number required.
Foreign passports can't use the automatic e-ticket gates. Queue at the manual service counter (人工窗口) with your passport to collect paper tickets. Arrive 45–60 minutes early; the queues are real.
The official 12306 app (12306.cn) now has an English version and works for frequent rail travelers — but registration needs a Chinese phone number and takes 3–5 days to verify. For most visitors, Trip.com is simply less hassle.
This is the one ticket you cannot buy on the day — slots sell out daily, and entry is locked to your booked 2-hour window. Bring your physical passport: the gate scans it together with your ticket QR.
Price $17 (~¥120) · book via Trip.com or the official WeChat mini-program · full strategy in our Terracotta Warriors Guide.
Restaurant recommendations live in our Xi'an Food Guide — skip the QR menu stress and walk in knowing what to order.
Only at international hotel chains and a few big malls. Everywhere else — street food, taxis, local restaurants, museums — it's QR payments or nothing. Link your card to Alipay and you'll use it everywhere.
If you need Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook or Google Maps even once during the trip — yes. Chinese app stores and WiFi hotspots don't block them, but the services themselves are unreachable from mainland networks without a VPN. Install two, test both at home.
Xi'an is one of the safest big cities in China, and DiDi drivers are background-checked and face-verified. The app has an SOS button and live GPS sharing. Still, screenshot the plate number, share your trip with someone, and sit in the back.
Try again on a different network (hotel WiFi vs mobile data), check your name matches the passport exactly (surname first), and try a different card. As a last resort, Alipay support at +86 571 2688 6000 handles English calls, and many Chinese hotels will happily help you troubleshoot at the front desk.
Street taxis are required to accept cash, but drivers rarely carry change — a ¥100 note for a ¥28 fare gets you a headache and a stern lecture. DiDi with a linked payment app is cheaper, and the fare is settled automatically. Keep small bills if you must use cash.
