China eSIM and the apps you need

Roaming eSIM or local SIM

You have two ways to get mobile data in China. A roaming eSIM from an international provider, or your home carrier's roaming plan, connects to a Chinese network but sends your traffic back abroad. A local SIM from a Chinese operator is a domestic line with a Chinese number.

Access is the difference that matters most. The UK Foreign Office lists Google, Facebook, YouTube and X as permanently blocked in China, and WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked too. That applies on all Chinese networks, including hotel Wi-Fi and local SIMs. Data on a roaming eSIM is routed abroad, so those apps usually work on it. This is a gray area under Chinese law.

A local SIM makes sense if you are staying for months or need a Chinese number for a particular service. Bring your passport, because every Chinese SIM is registered to the holder's ID. Packages and prices vary by operator, so compare the total with an eSIM before you queue.

Check that your phone takes an eSIM

• iPhone: the XS, XS Max, XR and later models support eSIM. iPhones sold in mainland China mostly use two physical SIM slots instead; Apple lists only a few recent models with eSIM there.
• Google Pixel: the Pixel 3a and later support eSIM. Add one under Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Add SIM.
• Other Android phones: look for an option to add an eSIM in your SIM settings, or check the maker's spec sheet. Support varies by model and by the country where the phone was sold.
• Carrier lock: a phone locked to your carrier won't take another provider's eSIM. On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > About; "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock means you're fine. If it's locked, ask your carrier to lift the lock before you travel.

When to install and switch it on

1. Buy and install at home, on Wi-Fi. Apple notes that setup needs a Wi-Fi connection, and providers usually send a QR code by email. Doing it a few days before departure leaves time to fix problems.
2. Check when the clock starts. Most plans start counting days when the eSIM first connects to a network in its coverage area. Some start at installation, so read the plan's activation rule before installing it weeks early.
3. Switch on when you land. Turn on the eSIM line, select it for cellular data, and turn on data roaming for that line if the provider tells you to.
4. Keep your home line on for texts. Most travel eSIMs are data only, while Alipay, WeChat and your bank send codes by SMS to your home number. Turn off data roaming on the home line to avoid charges, but leave the line itself on, and check what your carrier charges for texts abroad.

What a China eSIM costs

These are list prices from three providers' China pages in late October 2026, shown as examples rather than recommendations. They change often.

"Unlimited" usually comes with a speed cap. Airalo's China plans run at full speed for the first 3 GB each day, then drop to 1 Mbps, which is still enough for messages and maps. Airalo lists China Unicom as the network its China eSIM uses.

Your home carrier's international roaming plan or day pass is the other option. It takes the least effort, but compare its daily price with a 10-day eSIM before relying on it.

The apps to install before you go

Alipay does the most work. Besides paying in shops, it books taxis and generates the QR codes that get you through metro gates in many cities, and the International Version adds translation and currency conversion. Our guide on how to pay in China walks through the card setup, fees and limits.

Railway 12306 is the official way to buy train tickets. Its English site accepts foreign passports for real-name booking, and as of October 2026 tickets go on sale 15 days before departure. Third-party apps such as Trip.com book the same trains in a friendlier interface. The Beijing to Xi'an high-speed train on our classic 10-day first trip is sold there too.

Google Translate needs Google's servers, so on a Chinese network it only works with downloaded languages. Download the Chinese pack on Wi-Fi at home; camera translation may also work offline for some languages. Meituan, the big food delivery and booking app, is worth knowing about, but its store listing and most of its content are in Chinese.

Download everything before you land

Google Play runs on Google services, which are blocked on Chinese networks, so Android users should install and update every app at home. On iPhone, some apps carry different names in different countries' stores: in the US App Store, Amap appears as AMap Global and Railway 12306 as 铁路12306.

Then open each app at home: sign in, add your card, verify your passport and download your translator's offline pack. Verification codes come by SMS to your home number, and fixing a failed code is much easier from your own sofa than from an arrivals hall.

If you'd rather have a local team book the trains, hotels and a guide so your phone has less to do, tell us your dates.