China Life Kit Guides
Get everyday things done in China.
Step-by-step guides for Alipay, WeChat, SIM cards, metro, ride-hailing, hotels, food delivery, hospitals, and everyday China apps.
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Practical answers for real days in China.
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How to set up Alipay with a foreign card
We walk through setting up Alipay and linking a foreign bank card, so you can get familiar with the screens before your trip.
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How to Board a High-Speed Train in China
Get from station entrance to your seat: passport identity check, security, reading the departure board, finding your boarding gate, standing at the right carriage position, and storing luggage.
How to Buy China High-Speed Train Tickets with Trip.com
Book Chinese high-speed rail on Trip.com with a passport: pick the right station out of several, compare seat classes, enter passport details exactly, and pay with a foreign card.
How to Book a Taxi in China with AMap
Call a car in China with AMap Global: register with your own foreign phone number, set the pick-up point, choose a car type, prepay with Alipay or WeChat Pay, and match the license plate before you get in.
How to Pay in China as a Foreigner
Understand the two directions of QR payment in China: scanning the merchant's code and entering the amount yourself, or showing your payment code for the merchant to scan.
How to Set Up and Use AMap in China
Set up AMap Global with a foreign phone number, then search places, read a location page, compare metro, driving, walking, and cycling routes, and get around China in English.
How to Book China Flights with Trip.com
Book international and domestic China flights on Trip.com with a foreign card: search a route, pick the right airport, enter passport details correctly, and pay without a Chinese bank account.
How to Book China Hotels with Trip.com
Book a China hotel on Trip.com that will actually check you in: search by city, confirm the property accepts foreign guests, pay with a foreign card, and arrive with the address in Chinese and your passport in hand.
How to Use Shared Bikes in China
Use shared bikes in China with Alipay: scan the bike QR code, unlock, ride, park correctly, return the bike, and confirm payment.
How to Use WeChat Pay with a Foreign Bank Card
Set up WeChat, link a foreign bank card, enable Weixin Pay, and understand when identity or friend verification is needed.
How to Set Up Alipay as a Foreigner in China
Set up Alipay before you arrive: register, verify your passport, and link a foreign card so you can pay by QR code from your first day in China.
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