8 Must-Have Apps for Travelers Visiting China

Greater China is a large country, covering 9.6 million square kilometers (3.7 million square miles) and almost as large as Europe. Each region in China has its own unique characteristics, whether it’s the landscape, tourist attractions, culture, or food. However, three things are consistent across the country: language, infrastructure (such as high-speed rail and roads), and the world of the internet.

Today, we’re sharing 8 must-have apps to make your travel experience more convenient and, most importantly, to fully immerse yourself in the Chinese travel experience.

• Flight and Accommodation

• Payment Options

• Travel Maps

• Public Transportation

• Subway and Bus Cards

• Ride-hailing

• Food

• Communication

  
  

If you'd like further elaboration or content for any of these sections, feel free to ask!

As you probably know, the internet is split into two worlds: inside and outside the Greatwall of China. In China, apps like Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube are blocked. But China has developed its own cutting-edge and creative apps that are among the best in the world. So, when you're there, you definitely need to have them!

Before Departure

Flight tickets and accommodation

We recommend booking your flight and accommodation through Trip.com , which is a major OTA in China (known as Ctrip). It offers the widest range of accommodation options and has very flexible cancellation policies, ideal for Thai travelers. Plus, if you book your flight first and then your accommodation, you'll get a special combo discount.

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TrueMoney, Alipay, WeChat Pay

Payment Options

Alipay

This is the must-have app before your trip — seriously, you need it! It will make your life so much easier.

Alipay is more than just a payment app. It has a variety of mini-apps, such as ride-hailing, public bus cards, MRT tickets, movie ticket booking, and food delivery.

Also, if you're already using a card with a good exchange rate, you might save more using Alipay instead of TrueMoney. However, if you exceed the free transaction quota, there will be an additional transaction fee.

WeChat Pay

Before you can use WeChat Pay, you need to have the WeChat app. For many foreigners, the signup process can be a bit tricky due to the cross-verification requirements. However, the upside is worth it. WeChat is an instant messaging app similar to Thailand’s Line, but it's a SuperApp. Besides adding Chinese friends, you can use it to pay everywhere and even log in to airport Wi-Fi through mini-apps.

Travel Maps

Google Maps does not provide complete information for daily navigation in China, so installing a Chinese map app before your trip is highly important. Chinese map apps come with some impressive features, such as multiple route suggestions, highly accurate bus information, real-time traffic light countdowns, and crosswalk guidance. They also offer real-time data on restaurants, the best deals, and even display property prices for various residential areas within the app!

For those who don't speak Chinese, we recommend Baidu Map, as it can be set to English.

For those who can read Chinese, we suggest A Map (Gaode 高德地图), which features advanced big data and offers modern functionalities. In addition to basic features, it also provides virtual tours and detailed travel routes for various tourist attractions.

Public Transportation

Subway and Bus Cards

You can activate your subway and bus cards in advance through Alipay, so when you arrive, you can simply tap your phone to board—super convenient!

Ride-hailing

DIDI is the largest ride-hailing app in China and offers affordable prices for everyone. Using the app to book rides is a popular choice. From the author's experience, downloading the standalone app provides a better user experience compared to the mini-apps in Alipay and WeChat. However, if you don't use it often, the mini-apps will work just fine.

Food

The yellow app, MEITUAN, is a must-have for food delivery, buying special vouchers at restaurants, and purchasing various tickets.

For Thai tourists visiting China, a popular activity is ordering bubble tea, fruit tea, or Luckin Coffee, etc. This app is essential for great prices and affordable delivery fees (with frequent free delivery promotions).

Additionally, many Chinese restaurants now participate in campaigns offering dining vouchers on MEITUAN, allowing you to save even more on your meals.

Communication

As mentioned earlier, many apps require a Chinese phone number for registration or communication. For example, hotel Wi-Fi often requires registration with a Chinese number, MEITUAN requires a Chinese number to register, as do bike-sharing services and the ubiquitous powerbank rental stations in China. Even food delivery drivers tend to prefer calling you directly, and Didi drivers often prefer phone calls over messaging—requiring a Chinese number.

If you’re familiar with Chinese, you may also want to try various apps such as QQ Music, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Bilibili, Dazhong, ele.me, and many more that require a Chinese phone number for registration. A Chinese phone number is indispensable.

The final app I recommend is the Huaxiang App, which provides SIM cards for tourists worldwide. It’s licensed by China’s telecommunications authorities and uses China Mobile's network. Through the app, you can activate your SIM, check your data and call balances, and top up with ease.

However, keep in mind that Chinese numbers cannot access Line, Facebook, or Google. Therefore, if you're not using roaming, it's a good idea to prepare a VPN if you need access to international apps or websites.

The SIM card is now available for purchase in Singapore and Malaysia. You can buy it before your trip and it is available at _____