Three problems to solve before you land
Internet, payments, and train tickets — solved in order, before the plane touches down. No troubleshooting offline at the airport.
The only kit that actually works in China
eSIM + VPN: Stay connected
Alipay + WeChat Pay setup
Bullet trains booked in English
Activate a China-ready eSIM before departure. Pair it with one of three VPN apps that pass the Firewall — configured at home, not at the airport.
Foreigners can onboard Alipay with a non-Chinese card in under ten minutes. We walk through each step — no Chinese bank account required.
Shanghai–Hangzhou in 45 minutes, Beijing–Tianjin in 30. We show exactly which class, which seats, and how to book via Trip.com with a foreign card.
Set up in this sequence, not any order
eSIM first — you need data to activate everything else. Then Alipay, which requires a live phone number. Train tickets last, once you know your exit city.
Every recommendation here is tested for international passports. Affiliate links are clearly marked — they cost you nothing and keep this tool free.
Curated for your 144 hours — not for commissions
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We only list tools that work for foreign passports in China — if it failed in testing, it is not here.