# eSIM for China

Viasimo's China eSIM starts at $1.29 for 500 MB over 7 days, running on China Mobile with 5G where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Canonical page: https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/

## China eSIM prices

| Plan | Data | Days | Price | Price per GB |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 GB, 1 day | 1 GB | 1 | $1.79 | $1.79 |
| 2 GB, 1 day | 2 GB | 1 | $2.59 | $1.30 |
| 5 GB, 1 day | 5 GB | 1 | $4.59 | $0.92 |
| 10 GB, 1 day | 10 GB | 1 | $9.00 | $0.90 |
| Unlimited, 3 days | Unlimited | 3 | $9.00 | - |
| Unlimited, 5 days | Unlimited | 5 | $13.99 | - |
| 100 MB, 7 days | 100 MB | 7 | $1.29 | $13.21 |
| 500 MB, 7 days | 500 MB | 7 | $1.29 | $2.64 |
| 1 GB, 7 days | 1 GB | 7 | $1.79 | $1.79 |
| Unlimited, 7 days | Unlimited | 7 | $18.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 10 days | Unlimited | 10 | $25.00 | - |
| 2 GB, 15 days | 2 GB | 15 | $2.79 | $1.40 |
| 3 GB, 15 days | 3 GB | 15 | $3.79 | $1.26 |
| Unlimited, 15 days | Unlimited | 15 | $36.99 | - |
| 3 GB, 30 days | 3 GB | 30 | $3.79 | $1.26 |
| 5 GB, 30 days | 5 GB | 30 | $5.99 | $1.20 |
| 10 GB, 30 days | 10 GB | 30 | $10.99 | $1.10 |
| 20 GB, 30 days | 20 GB | 30 | $18.99 | $0.95 |
| 50 GB, 30 days | 50 GB | 30 | $42.00 | $0.84 |
| Unlimited, 30 days | Unlimited | 30 | $65.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 60 days | Unlimited | 60 | $134.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 90 days | Unlimited | 90 | $199.99 | - |
| 50 GB, 180 days | 50 GB | 180 | $53.99 | $1.08 |
| Unlimited, 180 days | Unlimited | 180 | $394.99 | - |

## Which networks does the China eSIM use?

- **China Mobile**: 5G

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM. Verified October 30, 2026.

## eSIM Details

- **Data**: 100 MB – 50 GB or unlimited
- **Validity**: 1–180 days
- **Speed**: 4G LTE / 5G
- **Hotspot / tethering**: Supported on most devices
- **Activation**: Automatic on arrival
- **Speed management**: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
- **Top-ups**: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
- **Text messages (SMS)**: Data only: use an app for verification codes
- **Connects via**: Hong Kong
- **Unused validity**: 180 days before it must be installed

## China: what to know before you land

Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/#destination-guide · Researched October 2026 by Viasimo

Since 17 February 2026, UK and Canadian passport holders have joined most of Europe in getting 30 days visa-free in mainland China, and more travellers now arrive with no Chinese phone number. Shanghai Pudong's wifi lets you log in by scanning your passport, Alipay and WeChat Pay accept foreign cards up to US$5,000 per payment, and 12306 sells train tickets in English once your passport is verified.

### China: quick facts

| Fact | China |
| --- | --- |
| Emergency number | Police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119 |
| Main airports | Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK); Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX); Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG); Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN); Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX) |
| Plug types | Type A, C, I (220V) |
| Currency | Chinese yuan renminbi (CNY) |
| Apps worth having | Alipay, WeChat, DiDi, Amap, China Railway 12306, Trip.com |

### The 30-day visa-free scheme and 240-hour transit

(China · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/#guide-the-30-day-visa-free-scheme-and-240-hour-transit)

China has widened visa-free entry quickly, and that changes who needs to sort out connectivity before landing. Under the unilateral scheme, ordinary passport holders from around 50 countries can stay **30 days** for tourism, business, family visits or transit. The list includes France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea and Australia, Sweden from November 2025, and the **UK and Canada from 17 February 2026**. For most countries the scheme currently runs until **31 December 2026**, with further extensions possible.

Separately, **240-hour visa-free transit** lets eligible nationals (55 countries) pass through on the way to a third country. Since November 2025 it applies at 65 designated ports, and you can travel within 24 eligible provinces and regions during your stay.

What that means for your phone:

- Border officers may ask for your onward ticket on a transit entry. Keep it as a downloaded PDF or screenshot, not just in an airline app that needs data.
- Visa-free rules change often. Check the latest list from an official source the week you fly.
- Install your eSIM before departure, because without a visa process there is no natural point at which you would otherwise sort it out.

### Passport-scan wifi and SIM counters at Shanghai Pudong (PVG)

(China · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/#guide-passport-scan-wifi-and-sim-counters-at-shanghai-pudong-pvg)

Chinese public wifi usually wants a local mobile number for a text-message code, which is a problem if you have just landed. Shanghai's airports have addressed this: on the free wifi login page at Pudong and Hongqiao there is a **passport identification login**, where you photograph your passport's photo page with your phone to get online.

Other services in Pudong's arrivals area, as described by the Shanghai government in April 2026:

- A one-stop centre selling **China Telecom short-term SIM cards** for 7, 15 or 30 days, with a passport. There is also a SIM counter in the baggage reclaim service zone.
- Currency exchange in the baggage reclaim area for international arrivals.
- Help desks for linking a foreign bank card to mobile payment apps, and sale and top-up of the **Shanghai Pass** card for transport, attractions and shopping.

If your eSIM is already installed, you can skip the SIM queue. The wifi login is still useful as a backup, for example for downloading large app updates or offline maps while you wait for luggage. Expect other big airports, including Beijing, to have their own arrangements, which may differ.

### Alipay and WeChat Pay with a foreign card

(China · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/#guide-alipay-and-wechat-pay-with-a-foreign-card)

In March 2024 China's central bank told the big payment platforms to make life easier for visitors. The **single-transaction limit** for overseas users rose from US$1,000 to **US$5,000**, and the **annual cumulative limit** from US$10,000 to **US$50,000**. For smaller amounts, the central bank's guide for foreigners says no identity details are needed. Alipay also expanded its interface from two languages to 16.

The same push asked state banks to fit more terminals that take international cards, so you will see Visa and Mastercard at hotels, larger shops and some restaurants, but small vendors and transport often remain QR-code only.

Practical tips:

- Link your card in Alipay or WeChat before you leave home, while your bank's security text messages will reach you without problems.
- Keep your home SIM switched on, as card-linking and large payments may trigger a one-time code by text.
- Expect a fee on foreign-card payments above a certain amount. Check the current terms in the app.
- Carry some cash in yuan as a backup for places where the QR code fails or the app asks for verification you cannot complete.

### Booking high-speed rail on 12306 with your passport

(China · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/#guide-booking-high-speed-rail-on-12306-with-your-passport)

Trains are the way most visitors cover long distances, and the official ticketing system, **China Railway 12306**, runs an English website and app. Tickets are sold in your real name against your passport, and foreign passengers can only buy and board **after their identity has been verified**.

There are three ways to get verified:

- Enter your name, nationality and passport number for automatic verification.
- Upload a photo of your passport information page for manual review.
- Verify in person at a station ticket counter.

Automatic checks can fail and manual review takes time, so set up your account and check its status before you travel. That way you are not trying to book a sold-out route with a pending account. You can also buy at station counters; paper tickets need your passport at a counter or ticket agency.

On board, connectivity is generally good on high-speed lines, but long tunnels in mountainous provinces cut signal for minutes at a time. Download your ticket details and seat number, and have the station name in Chinese characters saved, so a dropped connection does not leave you unsure which train or platform you need.

### Sources for the China guide

- [China's visa-free policies: latest updates – China Briefing](https://www.china-briefing.com/news/china-visa-free-travel-policies-complete-guide/)
- [Pudong airport upgrades international traveler services – Shanghai Municipal Government (April 2026)](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20260424/88cde5e96ef242daa534102069450a03.html)
- [Shanghai airports enhance inbound foreign passenger experience – Shanghai Municipal Government](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-EasyShanghai/20240507/e32c8eac376745a08dc3acfe174a6542.html)
- [China raises mobile payment limits for overseas travellers – english.gov.cn (Xinhua)](https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202403/22/content_WS65fcbf9cc6d0868f4e8e552f.html)
- [Rail travel for foreigners – Chongqing Municipal Government](https://english.cq.gov.cn/services/stayinchongqing/Transport/202606/t20260608_15737784.html)

## Seven days in China: Beijing, the Great Wall, Xi'an and Shanghai

7-day itinerary · 7 days · Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/china/#itinerary

The classic first-time route by high-speed rail and one domestic flight: imperial Beijing and a section of the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and city walls of Xi'an, then two days of old and new Shanghai with a side trip to Suzhou's gardens.

**When to go:** April to May and September to October bring the mildest weather; avoid the national holidays in the first week of May and the first week of October, when trains and sights are packed, and expect hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters in Beijing.

### Day 1 in China: Beijing: Tiananmen and the Forbidden City

- **Base:** Beijing
- **Getting there:** Beijing Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX) both have express rail links into the city.
- **Plan:** Start at Tiananmen Square, then enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate and walk north through its halls and courtyards; tickets must be booked ahead with your passport and sell out. Leave by the north gate and climb Jingshan Park's hill for the view back over the golden roofs. In the evening, walk the hutong lanes around Shichahai and Houhai lakes.
- **Mobile signal:** China Mobile 5G is strong across central Beijing and in the metro. Many foreign apps are blocked locally, so set up Alipay, WeChat and Amap before you arrive.

### Day 2 in China: The Great Wall at Mutianyu

- **Base:** Beijing
- **Getting there:** Mutianyu is about 1.5 hours by car or tour bus from central Beijing.
- **Plan:** Head out early to Mutianyu, a restored and less crowded section of the Great Wall with watchtowers strung along a forested ridge. Take the cable car or chairlift up, walk the wall for two or three hours, and come down by toboggan if you like. Back in the city, visit the Lama Temple, Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist temple, before it closes.
- **Mobile signal:** Good 5G at the Mutianyu visitor centre and on most of the restored wall; it can thin out at the far towers.

### Day 3 in China: Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and the train to Xi'an

- **Base:** Xi'an
- **Getting there:** High-speed trains from Beijing West to Xi'an North take about 4.5 to 6 hours; book on 12306 with your passport.
- **Plan:** Spend the morning at the Temple of Heaven, where locals gather to exercise and play cards in the park around the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Then either visit the Summer Palace and Kunming Lake or go straight to Beijing West station for an afternoon high-speed train to Xi'an. Arrive in time to walk the Muslim Quarter around the Drum Tower.
- **Mobile signal:** Coverage on the high-speed line is generally good, with short drops in the many tunnels through the hills approaching Xi'an.

### Day 4 in China: Xi'an: the Terracotta Army and the city walls

- **Base:** Xi'an
- **Getting there:** About an hour each way by tourist bus or metro plus bus from central Xi'an.
- **Plan:** Go early to the Terracotta Army, part of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor about 35 km north-east of the city. Pits 1, 2 and 3 hold thousands of clay soldiers, horses and chariots; allow three to four hours. Back in Xi'an, hire a bike or walk a section of the 14 km Ming-dynasty city wall at sunset.
- **Mobile signal:** 5G is good in the museum halls and visitor areas, though crowds can slow data at peak times.

### Day 5 in China: Big Wild Goose Pagoda and on to Shanghai

- **Base:** Shanghai
- **Getting there:** Flights from Xi'an to Shanghai take about 2.5 hours; high-speed trains take around 6 hours or more.
- **Plan:** Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in the Tang dynasty to house Buddhist scriptures, and the nearby Shaanxi History Museum if you secured a ticket in advance. In the afternoon, fly or take the train to Shanghai. In the evening, walk the Bund to see the Pudong skyline lit up across the Huangpu River.
- **Mobile signal:** Strong 5G in central Xi'an and Shanghai. Keep your boarding pass or train ticket saved offline for the airport or station gates.

### Day 6 in China: Shanghai: old town, former French Concession and Pudong

- **Base:** Shanghai
- **Plan:** Start at Yu Garden and the old town lanes around it, then visit the Shanghai Museum on People's Square. In the afternoon walk the plane-tree streets of the former French Concession and the alleys of Tianzifang. Cross to Pudong by metro or the Bund sightseeing tunnel and finish at the top of the Shanghai Tower for the view over the city.
- **Mobile signal:** Excellent 5G across central Shanghai, including the metro. Use Amap or Apple Maps, which work better than Google Maps here.

### Day 7 in China: Suzhou's classical gardens

- **Base:** Shanghai
- **Getting there:** Fast trains between Shanghai and Suzhou take about 25 to 40 minutes; Pudong airport is reached by the Maglev and metro.
- **Plan:** Take a high-speed train to Suzhou for its UNESCO-listed classical gardens. Visit the Humble Administrator's Garden early, before tour groups arrive, then the smaller Master of the Nets Garden. Walk along Pingjiang Road beside the canal, then return to Shanghai for your departure, either the same evening or the next morning.
- **Mobile signal:** Good 5G throughout Suzhou and on the train. Download your flight details before heading to Pudong.

### Staying connected on this China route

- Install and verify Alipay, WeChat, Amap, Trip.com and the 12306 app before you leave home; many services need SMS codes that are easier to receive before you arrive.
- Many foreign services are blocked on Chinese networks, so check that the apps you rely on will work on your plan before you travel.
- Book Forbidden City, Terracotta Army and museum tickets with your passport in advance; you may need data to show the booking at the gate.

### Sources for the China itinerary

- [UNESCO: Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441)
- [UNESCO: The Great Wall](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438)
- [UNESCO: Classical Gardens of Suzhou](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/813)
- [China Railway 12306 (English)](https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html)
- [GOV.UK foreign travel advice: China](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china)

## About this eSIM

The raw connectivity in mainland China is superb: your plan runs on China Mobile with 4G/LTE and 5G, and the network reaches into places that would be dead zones almost anywhere else. The complication is not signal, it is what that signal reaches. A number of international sites and services are not reachable from ordinary connections inside the mainland, and a travel eSIM is not sold as a fix for that. Whether any particular app behaves the way it does at home depends on how your traffic happens to be carried, which is outside your control and outside ours, so plan your trip as though the local way of doing things is the way you will do things.

### Getting online when you land

Install the profile before departure, while you still have unrestricted access to whatever tools and accounts the setup might touch. This is the one country on this list where doing the install after arrival could genuinely leave you stuck.

Land, enable the line, allow data roaming for it, set it as your data default. Airports in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are enormous, and the walk from gate to immigration to the airport express is long enough that you will notice whether data is flowing. Keep your usual SIM in place for voice and for verification texts from your bank, which you will need more than you expect.

One boundary worth stating plainly: mainland China is not Hong Kong or Macau. Those are separately covered destinations, so check what you have bought if your itinerary crosses into them.

### The networks you'll be on

China Mobile carries everything here, and it does so at a standard most travellers find better than home. Expect 5G in city centres and LTE more or less everywhere else that people live, including on high-speed trains, in metro tunnels and in the deep basements of shopping centres.

What you should not expect is for that speed to translate evenly into every service you use. Some things will be fast, some will be slow for reasons that have nothing to do with the network, and some will not load. Do not spend your trip diagnosing it; have a plan B ready before you go and get on with the holiday.

### Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Signal holds almost everywhere east of the mountains. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an and the whole dense coastal corridor are blanketed. So are the tourist landscapes: Guilin and Yangshuo, Zhangjiajie's pillars, the Yellow Mountains, the sections of the Great Wall that visitors reach. Even remote-feeling spots often have a tower on the ridge.

It thins in the west and at altitude. Tibet has good service in Lhasa and Shigatse and much less on the high passes and the long roads between them. The Taklamakan and the deserts of Xinjiang, the Inner Mongolian grassland away from the tourist camps, the Yunnan gorges around Tiger Leaping Gorge, and the mountain trails generally will drop you. Long rail tunnels cut out for minutes at a time, which matters if you are mid-booking.

### What you'll actually use data for here

Payment, first and foremost. Daily life runs through WeChat and Alipay to a degree that surprises visitors, covering everything from a metro gate to a noodle stall, so getting those working is the highest-value thing your data does. Set them up before you travel rather than at a counter with a queue behind you.

After that: ride-hailing, which removes the language problem from taxis; a mapping app that actually works locally, since the one you use at home may misplace you; translation, ideally with camera input for menus and signs; and rail booking, because trains here sell out and the app is where seats are. Save your hotel name and address in Chinese characters somewhere you can show a driver, since transliterated spellings often do not land.

### Before you fly

Download offline maps and an offline translation pack at home. Install and log into every app you intend to rely on before departure, including payment apps, and confirm they work while you still have a familiar connection to fix them on.

Screenshot your hotel address in Chinese, your train and flight bookings, and any visa or entry documents. Bring a power bank, since QR codes for entry, payment and transit mean the phone is out constantly, and note that airlines restrict them in checked bags. Have a realistic backup for anything critical: an address written on paper, a booking reference saved offline, and someone at home who knows the plan.

## Before you travel to China

Buying a local Chinese SIM means real-name registration, and since December 2019 a face scan as well. A travel eSIM avoids that, but read the note below before assuming it solves your problem.

Local SIM-registration rules apply to buying a SIM in the country. A travel eSIM is a foreign profile roaming onto the local network, so you are not registering anything locally and there is no counter to queue at.

Google services, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked in China, and the eSIM itself is not a way around the firewall. If you depend on those apps, install and test a VPN before you fly: hundreds of VPN apps are unavailable in the China App Store, so you cannot count on downloading one after you land.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does an eSIM work in China?

Yes. Your China eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are China Mobile. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

### Do I get 5G in China?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on China Mobile in China, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

### Do UK citizens need a visa for China in 2026?

Not for short trips. UK and Canadian ordinary passport holders were added to China's unilateral visa-free scheme from 17 February 2026, allowing stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits or transit. For most countries the scheme runs until 31 December 2026. Check the latest rules shortly before you travel.

### Can I use airport wifi in China without a Chinese phone number?

At Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao, yes. The free wifi login page has a passport identification option: you photograph your passport's photo page to get online, with no local number needed. Other airports have their own systems, and much public wifi elsewhere still asks for a Chinese mobile number, so do not rely on it.

### What is the Alipay limit for foreign tourists?

Since March 2024, overseas visitors using Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card can pay up to US$5,000 in a single transaction and US$50,000 a year, up from US$1,000 and US$10,000. Small payments need no identity details. Link your card before you travel, and keep your home SIM on for bank security codes.

### Can foreigners book Chinese train tickets online?

Yes, through the English website or app of China Railway 12306. Tickets are issued in your real name against your passport, and you must pass identity verification before buying, either automatically, by uploading a passport photo for manual review, or at a station counter. Set up your account early, because manual review takes time.

### How much data do I need for 7 days in China?

For 7 days in China, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $1.29, 500 MB for $1.29, 1 GB for $1.79, and unlimited data for $18.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

## Information and verification

- **Prices and plans**: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in. Verified October 30, 2026.
- **Host networks**: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM. Verified October 30, 2026.
- **Local rules**: SIM registration and device rules, checked against the sources below. Verified September 23, 2026. Source: [freedomhouse.org](https://freedomhouse.org/country/china/freedom-net/2024), [privacyinternational.org](https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/3018/timeline-sim-card-registration-laws)