Check the passport before the itinerary.
Compare ordinary-passport visa-free paths or test the A → China → B transit pattern.
Visa-free country guide 240-hour transit guideIndependent China travel · Checked guides
Money & apps · FeaturedHow to Pay in China as a Foreigner: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cards & CashChina travel guides for the parts that slow you down.
Direct answers for paying, booking trains, leaving the airport and turning those logistics into a realistic independent trip.
Set up two mobile wallets, link an eligible international card and keep a physical card plus RMB cash as practical backups.
11 min read · Reviewed 21 Aug 2026Read the guideStart here
Solve one travel problem at a time.
Every guide answers a concrete planning question, names its official sources and links to a route where the advice becomes useful.
01
Trains
02China Train Tickets for Foreigners: How to Book on 12306
Register with a foreign passport, pass real-name verification, buy the correct train and use that same passport to enter the station.
Arrival guide
Shanghai Pudong Airport to the City: Metro, Maglev or Taxi?
Choose the best PVG transfer for your hotel, arrival time and luggage—with current official rail hours, indicative fares and late-night alternatives.
Connected planning
Rules, routes and logistics belong together.
Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou in seven days.
A complete rail-first route with realistic nights, stations, payments, budget and a final flight buffer.
Open the complete itineraryStart the route where the international flight lands.
Browse current routes beginning in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing.
Browse routes by China gatewayUseful, sourced and honest about what changes.
Operational details are linked to official sources and carry a review date. Examples explain a planning choice; they are not guarantees that a timetable, fare or entry decision will remain unchanged.