Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling China in 2026: What Changed and What You Need to Know

Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling China in 2026: What Changed and What You Need to KnowUpdated June 2026 · 6 min readPlanning a trip to China in 2026? You are making an excellent choice. China has opened its doors wider than ever to international visitors, with expanded visa-free access and foreigners now able to use mobile payments seamlessly. Here is everything you need to know.Visa and Entry Requirements in 2026China dramatically expanded visa-free access in recent years. Citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and more can enter China visa-free for up to 15 days. The 144-hour transit visa exemption lets travelers transiting through Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or Chengdu airports stay up to 6 days without a visa. E-Visa is now available for many nationalities at visaforchina.cn.Cashless China — How to Pay Without a Chinese Bank AccountAlipay International: Download the app, sign up with your phone number, link your international Visa, Mastercard, or Amex card. Most merchants accept this. WeChat Pay: Link your international card to WeChat Wallet. Works at most restaurants, shops, and transport. Cash backup: Always carry some RMB cash (200–500 yuan) for small vendors and rural markets. ATMs: Bank of China and ICBC ATMs reliably accept foreign cards. Getting Around ChinaHigh-Speed Rail (gao-tie): Beijing to Shanghai in 4.5 hours. Book via Trip.com or 12306.cn — bring your passport. Didi: China's ride-hailing app — link your international payment method. English interface works well. Metro: Major cities have excellent metro systems. Pay with Alipay or WeChat QR codes. The Language Barrier — What to ExpectEnglish is not widely spoken outside major tourist areas. But a few Chinese phrases go an incredibly long way. Locals deeply appreciate any effort to speak Mandarin. Use Google Translate camera feature offline, or Baidu Translate for better Chinese-English accuracy.10 Essential Chinese Phrases That Will Transform Your TripChinesePinyinEnglishUse你好Ni haoHelloGreeting anyone谢谢Xie xieThank youAfter any service不好意思Bu hao yi siExcuse meGetting attention多少钱Duo shao qian?How much?Asking price太贵了Tai gui leToo expensiveBargaining在哪里Zai na li?Where is?Finding locations我要这个Wo yao zhe geI want thisOrdering food好的Hao deOkayConfirming我不吃辣Wo bu chi laI don't eat spicyRestaurants帮我叫出租车Bang wo jiao chu zu chePlease call a taxiGetting a taxiPractice These Phrases Before Your TripFlowChinese uses AI-powered pronunciation feedback so you can nail tones and be understood from day one. Download Free on App Store