Before you book · Entry requirements
Do you need a visa for China in 2026?
UK and US passports, the 30-day exemption and the 240-hour transit rule: understand which route applies to your trip.
Read the visa guidePractical knowledge, before the journey
China Ready
A few things to sort before China.
Read the unfamiliar details, solve a practical question, or keep the complete guide for departure.
Before you land · Apps
The 5 apps to set up before you land in China
Payments, maps, messages, rail and offline translation. Set them up before you need them.
Set up the essentialsBefore you fly · Connection
Do you need a VPN in China?
You do not need a VPN simply to travel in China. You do need a connection plan and a few reliable offline backups.
Make a connection plan
The complete preparation guide
Your China
Ready Kit.
The practical notes together: a preparation checklist, useful Chinese phrases and a quick-reference section for the journey.
- Before you leave
- Payments & apps
- Getting around
- Food & useful phrases
- Contacts & practical help
Keep it for departure.
Request the free kit by email. Every article on this page is free to read without signing up.
Get the free China Ready Kit
Your guide is ready.
Open the China Ready Kit below and save it for your trip.
The practical reference
One question
at a time.
And then, the journey.
When you are ready to think about the trip itself, explore our China journeys and cultural experiences, or tell us about the route you have in mind through Private China Planning.