Internet & Apps
Apps you need in China: the essential list for foreign travellers
The apps to install before you go: payments, taxis, maps, trains, translation, and food. What each is for, and which work in English.
China has its own app ecosystem, and several apps you rely on at home won’t work there. Install these before you fly: some need verification that can take a day or two, and app-store pages can be slow to reach once you’re inside China.
The must-haves
| App | What it’s for | English? |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay | Paying almost everywhere; also hosts mini-apps for taxis, bikes, and train tickets | Yes |
| Messaging (WhatsApp is blocked) and WeChat Pay; hotels and guides often contact you here | Yes | |
| A travel eSIM | Mobile data that keeps Google and WhatsApp working | n/a |
Set up payments first. Our payments guide walks through linking your card. For data, see internet and eSIMs.
Getting around
- DiDi: China’s Uber. The easiest way for visitors is the DiDi mini-program inside Alipay. Full guide: how to take taxis in China.
- Amap (Gaode Maps): the most accurate map in China, with English and other languages, public transport directions, and taxi booking. Google Maps works with an eSIM, but it’s often out of date in China and its satellite layer is offset.
- Apple Maps: works without a VPN and uses Chinese map data, so it’s a good English-language backup on an iPhone.
- Metro: you can usually pay by scanning a QR code in Alipay. Search “transit” or the city’s name inside Alipay.
Trains and hotels
- 12306: the official railway app, with an English version. See how to book high-speed trains.
- Trip.com: hotels, flights, and trains in full English, with international cards. Useful as a backup for 12306.
Translation
- Apple Translate or Google Translate with Chinese downloaded for offline use. Google Translate needs an eSIM to work online.
- WeChat can translate messages: long-press a message and tap Translate.
- Point your camera at a menu or sign. Both translation apps can read Chinese text from photos.
Food and sights
- Meituan and Dianping: China’s food delivery and restaurant reviews. Mostly in Chinese, but useful with a translation app. Many restaurants let you order and pay by scanning a QR code on the table, inside WeChat or Alipay.
- Klook: tickets for sights, tours, and shows in English, paid with your normal card. Handy for attractions whose official booking only takes Chinese payment methods.
Before you leave home
- Install Alipay and WeChat, verify them with your passport, and link a card.
- Install and activate your eSIM at home over Wi-Fi.
- Download offline Chinese for your translation app.
- Save your hotel addresses in Chinese characters, as screenshots.
