Check the passport before choosing the trip shape.
Compare ordinary-passport visa-free paths or test the A → China → B transit pattern.
Visa-free country guide 240-hour transit guideIndependent China travel · Source-backed 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 making better-informed city and sight decisions.
Set up two mobile wallets, link an eligible international card and keep a physical card plus RMB cash as practical backups.
11 min read · Individual facts checkedRead the guideStart here
Solve one travel problem at a time.
Every guide answers a concrete travel question, names its official sources and links to the relevant city or example where useful.
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Money & apps
02How to Pay in China as a Foreigner: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cards & Cash
Set up two mobile wallets, link an eligible international card and keep a physical card plus RMB cash as practical backups.
Trains
03China Train Tickets for Foreigners: How to Book on 12306
Prepare foreign-passport verification, check the release time for the exact train and carry the original booking document. Follow the account's instructions if a check fails.
Arrival guide
Shanghai Pudong Airport to the City: Metro, Maglev or Taxi?
Compare metro, Maglev, taxi, night bus and Airport Link against your actual departure time from the terminal, destination address, luggage and willingness to change.
Connected decisions
Rules, destinations and logistics belong together.
How Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou differ.
An editorial example for comparing a megacity, classical gardens and lake scenery, with the rail logistics kept in view.
Compare the three-city ideaChoose places before arranging the route.
Compare each city by character, standout sights and traveler perspectives.
Browse and compare citiesUseful, sourced and honest about what changes.
Operational details link to their sources and show their fact-review status and source history. Examples explain a planning choice; they are not guarantees that a timetable, fare or entry decision will remain unchanged.