Module 00 · Single-page Checklist
Pre-Trip Checklist: Get Your Phone Ready for China
Practical info on the payment, travel and map apps used in China. Pick what's useful to you and set it up before you fly — so arriving feels calm, not confusing.
Content confirmed as of: 2026-10-06 (tool versions and official channels may change at any time — always defer to the official channel and the app's actual on-screen display).
1.1
Payments
What it is
WeChat 微信 Wēixìn and Alipay 支付宝 Zhīfùbǎo — the two main mobile payment apps in China; most in-person purchases rely on one of them.
Before you go
If you'd like to use them, you can switch both apps' interface language to English and link an international credit/debit card you already hold. (Which card networks are supported and how verification works — always defer to what the app actually shows.)
Official download pages
(official distribution by device type)
(Alipay's official consumer download page under the alipay.com domain, with iOS/Android store redirects)
1.2
Transportation
What it is
DiDi 滴滴 Dīdī — the ride-hailing app for mainland China; Trip.com — a booking app for tickets and accommodation, already in English.
Telling DiDi's apps apart
DiDi has two separate apps with different store IDs
For mainland China
"DiDi China: Ride Hailing"
App Store id554499054
official description: for global visitors traveling in mainland China and Hong Kong, includes an English interface
Not for mainland China
"DiDi Rider"
App Store id1362398401
official description: service limited to Egypt, Australia, Japan, and parts of Latin America — its own page states that using DiDi in China requires downloading "DiDi-Greater China" instead
The two are not interchangeable — it helps to check the app name and the region stated in the store listing before downloading. This checklist refers to "DiDi China: Ride Hailing" only.
Before you go
If you plan to use DiDi, you can search "DiDi China: Ride Hailing" in the App Store / Google Play ("DiDi Rider" does not work in mainland China) and check that the interface can switch to English. If you plan to book tickets later, you can register a Trip.com account in advance.
Official website
(includes an app download QR code)
If the page opens in Chinese, switch to EN at the top right.
Official booking/download entry
(the site itself is the booking entry point; no separate app search needed)
Trip.com and Ctrip
Trip.com and the mainland-China "Ctrip" 携程 Xiéchéng belong to the same Trip.com Group — Trip.com is the group's sister brand aimed at international users, not simply "the international version of Ctrip."
1.3
Maps
What it is
Several map and navigation apps are commonly used in mainland China. Three are listed below for reference, each with its website domain as plain text (not linked). Which one to use is up to you.
- 高德地图 Gāodé Dìtú(Amap)amap.com
- 百度地图 Bǎidù Dìtú(Baidu Maps)map.baidu.com
- 腾讯地图 Téngxùn Dìtú(Tencent Maps)map.qq.com
Note on names
Amap appears as "AMap Global" in some app stores — it is the same app, with the same App Store ID (461703208, developer AutoNavi Information Technology Co. Ltd.); the display name simply changes with the store's region/language setting.
Before you go
If you'd like a map app, you can search its name in the App Store / Google Play and check whether the interface can be set to English. Features and language options can differ between apps — always defer to what the app actually shows.
1.4
Communication
What it is
Having internet the moment you land can make arrival easier — through international roaming, or a local SIM/eSIM after arrival.
Before you go
You can contact your own mobile carrier at home to find out whether international roaming can be activated and whether it covers mainland China; if you plan to get a local SIM after landing, it helps to have your passport with you (local carriers require ID registration).
Official link
⚠ None — no single official link applies to this category, since everyone's home carrier is different. You can check directly with your own carrier's official website; for a local SIM/eSIM after arrival, the carrier's official counter at the airport or in the city is the place to ask.