Should I choose a travel eSIM, roaming or a local Chinese SIM? →
For a short trip, choose a travel eSIM or your home carrier’s roaming for data, then decide separately whether you need a mainland phone number.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Phone & internet
Get the right connection, number and apps.
18 answers
My phone has no physical SIM slot. What should I prepare? →
Arrange a compatible travel eSIM or home-carrier roaming before departure.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Should I install my China travel eSIM before flying? →
Install the travel eSIM before flying while you have a reliable connection.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Does a travel eSIM give me a Chinese phone number? →
A data-only travel eSIM does not give you a mainland Chinese phone number.
Checked 26 Sept 2026A Chinese app will not accept my overseas number. What can I do? →
Use the service’s foreign-visitor, email or staffed route when its online form rejects your overseas number.
Checked 26 Sept 2026How should I prepare internet for Google, Zoom or work on a laptop? →
Arrange the connection for your actual work tools before departure, then test the laptop and hotspot after arrival.
Checked 26 Sept 2026How can I keep receiving bank and login codes while travelling? →
Keep the phone number used by your bank and travel accounts active while a separate travel line supplies data.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Which apps should I set up before my first China trip? →
Prepare one working payment wallet, a usable map, your transport bookings and the connection that keeps them accessible.
Checked 26 Sept 2026My travel eSIM is installed but I have no data. What should I check? →
Check that the travel line is turned on, selected for mobile data and activated for your current country.
Checked 26 Sept 2026How do I find the right place when English map searches fail? →
Search the place’s Chinese name and full address, then confirm the entrance you need.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Why does TikTok fail when other apps work on the same China connection? →
The likeliest cause is TikTok’s regional checks, especially when you switched to a mainland Chinese SIM or a travel eSIM using a restricted exit region.
Checked 26 Sept 2026What documents does a tourist need to buy a physical SIM at a China Unicom shop? →
Bring your original passport and an unlocked compatible phone to an official carrier shop, and ask for a tourist-usable package with the calls, texts and data you need.
Checked 26 Sept 2026How much mobile data should I budget for a two- or three-week China trip? →
Estimate data from your own phone’s recent usage, then add the trip’s video, hotspot and upload needs.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Can a carrier-locked phone use a China travel eSIM? →
A carrier-locked phone usually needs its original carrier to unlock it before you can use another provider’s travel eSIM.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Will one eSIM cover mainland China, Hong Kong and my next country? →
One regional eSIM can cover the whole route when its current package explicitly lists mainland China, Hong Kong and your next destination.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Can I use a Chinese physical SIM and a travel eSIM at the same time? →
Yes, a compatible unlocked dual-SIM phone can use a Chinese physical SIM for its number and a travel eSIM for data.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Can I keep a Chinese number active after leaving China for future SMS codes? →
Yes, you can keep an eligible Chinese number after leaving, but it must retain an active way to receive SMS abroad—ordinary roaming or a supported forwarding service.
Checked 20 Oct 2026How can I save and organise a multi-city place list before arriving in China? →
Make one saved list per city, with your hotel and transport stations at the top.
Checked 26 Sept 2026