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China in Scenes画 里 中 国
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StoryA world of stories, stitched into a sleeveStoryChina is worth getting up forStoryA garden you read one view at a timeStoryThe journey outside the train windowStoryOne small boat, a country of waterwaysStoryA morning, a chair, a cup of ChengduStoryThree cities, three ways to light the nightStoryRead the city through its moving partsStoryThe electric car passing your windowStoryThrough the doors of China's international fairsStoryYunnan, through the hands that make itStoryFour Yunnan landscapes, four ways to exploreStoryYunnan in song, from the snow mountain to the stagePractical guideThe 24-hour pre-flight checklistPractical guideMake mobile payment work before arrivalPractical guideeSIM or local SIM: choose by what you needPractical guideYour first 72 hours, in the right orderPractical guideThe small app stack that covers most tripsPractical guideHow to get around: metro, bus and high-speed railPractical guideHigh-speed rail without the station panicPractical guideHow to communicate: a pocket Chinese phrasebookPractical guidePlan a supplier or factory visit that stays on schedule
How to…5 min read

The small app stack that covers most trips

Install by task: pay, message, navigate, ride and book—without filling your phone with duplicates.

Checked · 25 Sep 2026

Do this in order

  1. Payments: Alipay first and WeChat as backup; complete card binding while you still have reliable internet.

  2. Maps: use Amap (Gaode) or Baidu Maps; copy Chinese place names from your hotel or this guide.

  3. Transport: keep Didi inside Alipay or as a standalone app, and use the official Railway 12306 app or English website for trains.

  4. Translation: download an offline language pack and save key phrases as screenshots for low-signal moments.

A little more preparation

Keep a useful answer close, then get back to exploring.

How to…

Make mobile payment work before arrival

A practical Alipay-first setup with WeChat Pay and cash as real backups.

Read the guideHow to…

eSIM or local SIM: choose by what you need

Buy data before flying, or get a +86 number at an airport counter or operator-owned hall.

Read the guideHow to…

How to get around: metro, bus and high-speed rail

Across town or on to the next city: find the right route, prepare your ticket, and know what to do at the station.

Read the guide