2025 China Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go

Planning a trip to China in 2025? Everything you need to know before you go—visas, VPNs, payment methods, cultural tips, and essential apps for foreign travelers—all in one place.

During Chinese holidays, many people travel. Not only are tourist spots crowded, but hotel prices are high, and flights or train tickets may sell out.

🚫 New Year's Day (January 1 - January 3)

3-day holiday, many New Year's events, crowded

🚫 Spring Festival (January - February)

The date of Chinese New Year varies each year. During this time, massive numbers of people 'migrate,' known as 'Chunyun.' Tickets are extremely hard to buy.

🚫 Labor Day (Around May 1, 5 days)

Second only to Spring Festival in terms of crowds, with May 1-3 being the busiest period.

🚫 Summer vacation (July - August)

Students are on break, tourist spots are crowded, and hotels are expensive.

🚫 National Day (October 1 - October 7)

7-day holiday, peak travel season, expensive flights and hotels, train tickets sell out, long queues at attractions.

✅ March - April

Avoid holidays, fewer crowds, spring blossoms, beautiful scenery.

✅ May - June

Pleasant weather, ideal for travel.

✅ September

Fewer travelers.

✅ November - December

Off-peak travel season, cheaper hotels, fewer crowds at attractions.

Recommended preparation time before departure: 4-6 weeks

Residents of most countries need to apply for a Chinese tourist visa at a Chinese consulate or visa center before traveling to China. It is recommended to apply 4-6 weeks in advance.

Some cities allow visa-free stays for up to 30 days:

Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan.

Recommended preparation time before departure: 1 week

Some apps are inaccessible in China: Google, Google Maps, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp…

To use these apps in China, you need a VPN (Virtual Private Network), such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or Surfshark.

When using a VPN, internet speed may slow down due to traffic routing through third-party servers. It is recommended to enable VPN only when necessary.

Recommended preparation time before departure: Not required, can be arranged at the airport

Some mobile carriers offer local data plans for China. For example, France's Free carrier provides 30GB of international data (including China) with its €19.9/month plan, allowing access to Google and other apps without a VPN. Check your mobile plan for details.

If your plan doesn't include this, it's not advisable to switch carriers just for a trip to China. Instead, you can purchase a short-term SIM card upon arrival at the airport. Do this at the airport, as it’s difficult to find places selling SIM cards elsewhere.

Recommended preparation time before departure: 1 week

During your trip, you’ll need apps for navigation, communication, translation, etc.

Search

🚫 Google

✅ bing.com, baidu.com

Navigation

🚫 Google Maps

✅ Apple Maps (works okay), Gaode Map (very accurate but limited English support)

Ride-hailing

🚫 Uber

✅ Didi, Gaode Map

Payments

✅ WeChat, AliPay

Food delivery

🚫 Uber Eats

✅ Meituan

Messaging apps

🚫 Facebook, WhatsApp

✅ WeChat

Translation tools

🚫 Google Translate (can download offline packs in advance or use VPN)

✅ Microsoft Translator, DeepL Translator, Baidu Translator

Recommended preparation time before departure: 1 week

The primary payment methods in China are WeChat Pay and Alipay. You can download and install them in your phone.

There are two ways to pay:

Starting in 2025, WeChat and Alipay will support binding Visa and Mastercard. Once linked, you can pay directly by scanning QR codes.

Recommended preparation time before departure: 1 week - 6 weeks

The easiest way is to install the Ctrip app, which allows booking flights, train tickets, and hotels. However, Ctrip is a third-party platform, not an official site, and occasional issues may arise.

Flight bookings: Book directly on airline websites

Booking flights at least 2 weeks in advance is cheaper.

Train/High-speed rail bookings: 12306.cn or the 12306 app

Since ticket purchases require real-name verification, foreigners can only book online and pick up tickets at the station. This process is cumbersome, so consider buying tickets in person at the station the day before. Tickets can sell out, so early booking is recommended.

China is a vast country. Even a 30-day trip won’t cover everything.

Plan your cities, attractions, and activities in advance to save time and enhance your travel experience.

Chinese cuisine features eight major regional styles, each with unique dishes. Research local specialties beforehand for a memorable culinary experience.

Recommended preparation time before departure: 1 week - 2 weeks

Purchase suitable travel insurance in advance.

Recommended preparation time before departure: 1 week - 2 weeks