The Chinese Ecosystem: A non-comprehensive guide for navigating China as a tourist

When you walk into an Apple Store to buy a phone, Apple really sells you on the idea of "connectedness.” Airdrop allows you to send photos between devices, you can tap another iPhone to share your contact info, and did you know that you can use Cmd C/Cmd V to paste things ACROSS DEVICES? How could you say no to such a luxurious experience?

So then the cashier rings you up for your new iPhone...some AirPods...an Apple Watch to track your beach body gains...and an iPad. But hey, you saved 10% with your student discount, so who really won? This is the so-called “Apple Ecosystem” and it gets you every time.

China has something similar. Let's call it the Chinese Ecosystem. You land in Beijing and download WeChat (Wexín 微信) just so you can make calls and then 6 months later you're getting excited about a new drama on Chinese TikTok.

That being said, here is my marketing pitch for all the must have Chinese apps and how to get around China in general.

Arrival

Beijing Daxing International Airport

Before you even get to China, please download a VPN. This can be literally any company, but I personally use Surfshark’s annual plan for all my travels (not sponsored). Once you land, be it in Shanghai, Beijing, or elsewhere, go to the tourist information desk and pick up a local SIM card.

“But…but Berizon and T-stationary have international plans.” A lot of apps in China require you to have either a (1) Chinese phone number or (2) Chinese bank account to work. Not getting a local number will leave you stuck with your crappy international roaming plan.

Payment

Now with internet, you must download either WeChat, Alipay, or both. Things gets really impossible really quick without them.

WeChat is China’s premier all-in-one app used for anything from paying for breakfast to catching up on the news. Once you install WeChat, it’ll take you through the lengthy ID verification process, and you might need to ask the airport agent for help. Luckily everything is in English and it’s fairly self-explanatory. Once you are in, you’ll be able to link your foreign card. On the top right of the main screen there is an option for your personal payment QR code or scan. The QR code lets people pay you (they scan and initiate a transaction) whereas scan lets you pay other people. WeChat also has these things called “mini-programs,” which are built into the app and allow you to reserve tickets, book trains, and more!

Alipay is China’s second coolest app (in my opinion) and does everything from P2P payment to travel planning. You’ll be taken through a similar verification process as WeChat. Then, you’ll be able to get the illustrious ~ TourCard ~. The TourCard is essentially a temporary Chinese bank account and digital wallet for tourists transiting the mainland. Occasionally merchants will have “accept foreign transaction fees” turned off, and WeChat Pay will be rejected. TourCard fixes this issue.

Transit

Liziba Station, Chongqing, China

Once outside the airport, you’ll either be lame and get an overpriced taxi or take the train.

For taxis, you want to download the DiDi app (logging in with your Chinese phone number). This app has everything from rideshare to food delivery and is easy to navigate, even in Chinese. There should be an English setting…somewhere.

For trains in the city, you’ll want to open WeChat and get your city’s metro mini-program. This can be found by typing in “city name + metro/train” into the mini program search bar. Alternatively, at the train ticket gate, you can use your WeChat/Alipay QR code to pay, but make sure to tap it when entering AND leaving. WeChat gives you a fun little icon when you tap at the end of your ride.

“…But Winter I don’t want to stay in Shanghai. How do I get to the terracotta warriors in Xi’an?”

For intercity transit, look no further than China’s high-speed rail (HSR). These are trains that you can book online for both short day trips and long-haul trips across the country. I found the most success using two different apps—12306 for up-to-date train schedules and Trip.com for the bookings. Trip provides a really simple, all-English interface for booking HSR trains (you can also find buses and hotels). 12306 is the mainland’s primary transit booking site and by far the most accurate. Here you can download the country-wide HSR routes and live timetables for all modes of transport.

Last but not least, the navigation beast Amap. Amap is a personal GPS where you can get directions, read reviews, and save your favorite coffee spots. It functions very similarly to Apple/Google Maps but has more up-to-date information on businesses, hours of operation, and navigational routes.

I know it sounds like a lot, but it will make your experience in China silky smooth (Silk Road pun; you may laugh). Now you are ready to go out and consume all the dumplings you can find. 加油!

A consolidated list:

Alipay

Amap

DiDi

Trip.com

Metro mini programs

WeChat (WeChat pay built in)

12306