Download everything before you board
You need App Store or Google Play access to download these — even the Chinese ones. Google Play is blocked behind the Firewall. On a trip in 2023 my VPN dropped and I couldn’t download a single app for two days. Apple doesn’t buy you a free pass either — your App Store is tied to your home country.
Alipay (支付宝)
Payment · Transport · Mini-programs
Your primary wallet. Payment, transport cards, and mini-programs for everything from metro rides to restaurant ordering. Set this up first.
WeChat (微信)
Messaging · Payments · Attraction tickets
Not just messaging — it’s China’s everything app. Critically, most tourist attraction tickets (Great Wall, Forbidden City, museums) now require WeChat mini-programs to book. Install it even if you use Alipay to pay.
Amap (高德地图)
Maps · Navigation · Public transport
Chinese Google Maps. Accurate to the metre, shows real-time metro crowding, multiple language options. Download offline maps for your destination cities before arrival.
Didi (滴滴)
Ride-hailing
Chinese Uber. Works with your home phone number. Link Alipay or WeChat Pay. Also available as a mini-program inside Alipay and Amap.
Trip.com
Hotels · Flights · Trains · Attractions
English interface. Foreign cards accepted. Use for flights, accommodation, and some train tickets. After-sales service is solid. Doesn’t show all train routes — use 12306 as well.
12306 (铁路12306)
Official train booking
Every route, every train. Requires passport verification which can take 24–48 hours. Popular routes during holidays sell out within minutes. Set this up well before your trip.
Meituan (美团)
Food delivery · Bikes · Deals · Cinema
UberEats on steroids. Restaurant deals, food delivery, cinema tickets, hotel bookings, grocery delivery, shared bicycle rental. Locals use Meituan deals to save 30–50% on restaurant meals. Primarily in Chinese — use DeepL to navigate.
Dianping (大众点评)
Restaurant reviews · Discount vouchers
TripAdvisor, Yelp, and so much more — but with millions more reviews and far more reliable for local restaurants. Built-in English translation. Plus discount vouchers most tourists never discover.
RedNote / Xiaohongshu (小红书)
Local recommendations · Travel tips
Social media where real people post travel guides, restaurant recommendations, hidden spots, and honest reviews with photos and prices. Built-in translation. Far more useful than any Western travel blog for finding what locals actually do.
DeepL
Translation
Better than Google Translate for Chinese. Handles sentences, menus, signs, and conversations. Download the offline language packs before you arrive — translation is most useful when you have no internet.