eSIM for China

eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in China

There are three ways to get online in mainland China, and each has trade-offs worth understanding before you go.

Apps and websites in mainland China

Some international apps and websites may be blocked or work poorly in mainland China, including some well-known search, social media, email and messaging services. Which services are affected can change, so check before you travel which of the apps you rely on are likely to work.

How much data to plan for

Because payments, transport, translation and maps all run through apps, many visitors use more data in China than at home. These figures are approximate:

• Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour, more with satellite view.
• Mobile payments: very small amounts per transaction, but you will make many.
• Translation: light for text, more for camera or voice translation.
• Messaging: light.
• Social media, photos and video calls: moderate to heavy; video calls typically use several hundred megabytes per hour.
• Streaming: heavy, often more than a gigabyte per hour in high definition.

Before you go

Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home over Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.

Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Travel", keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.

• Install the eSIM a day or two before departure.
• Set up a mobile payment app such as Alipay or WeChat Pay and link an international card, if supported, while you are still at home.
• Install a map app that works well in China, such as Amap or Baidu Maps, alongside your usual one.
• Download a translation app with offline Chinese.
• Save hotel addresses in Chinese characters to show taxi drivers.
• Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.

Arriving in China

The main international gateways are Beijing Capital and Beijing Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun and Chengdu Tianfu, with many other cities served by direct flights. Many travellers also arrive overland or by rail from Hong Kong into Shenzhen or Guangzhou.

When you land, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where to find this setting. If it does not connect within a minute or two, switch flight mode on and off once.

Coverage in cities, on trains and in remote regions

In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi'an, Hangzhou and other cities, mobile data generally works well, including on metro systems. Main tourist areas and intercity routes are usually well covered.

Coverage becomes less reliable in some areas:

• Mountain parks: in places such as Zhangjiajie, Huangshan or Jiuzhaigou, coverage is generally available near visitor centres and main paths, but valleys and quieter trails can be weaker.
• Remote Great Wall sections: busy restored sections near Beijing are covered, but wild, unrestored stretches can have patchy signal.
• The far west: parts of Xinjiang, Qinghai and Tibet are vast and sparsely populated, with long distances between towns.
• Rural Yunnan and Guizhou: villages in the mountains can have gaps between valleys.
• Rivers and lakes: on cruises along the Li River or the Yangtze, signal comes and goes.

Data on high-speed trains, metros and road trips

China's high-speed rail network links most major cities, and it is often faster than flying for routes such as Beijing to Shanghai or Xi'an. Tickets can be booked through the official railway app, 12306, or through international booking platforms such as Trip.com. Coverage on board is generally good, but there can be short gaps in tunnels and mountain sections.

City metros are clean, fast and well signposted in English in the larger cities. Map apps show routes, and you can often pay with a QR code from your payment app.

Sharing data with a hotspot

Your phone's personal hotspot can keep a laptop or tablet online when hotel Wi-Fi is slow. It uses the line set for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.

Tethering uses data quickly. Pause cloud sync, updates and backups on connected devices, and keep an eye on your balance.

Using public Wi-Fi safely

Public Wi-Fi in China is common in hotels, cafés and transport hubs, but many networks require a Chinese phone number to receive a login code by text, which makes them hard for visitors to use. Your eSIM is often the simpler option.

• Use your eSIM data for banking, payments and logins.
• Check the network name with staff before connecting.
• Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
• Update your phone and apps before you travel.

Practical tips for China

A few local details that make a working data connection essential:

• Payments: mobile payments with Alipay and WeChat Pay are used almost everywhere. Carry some cash in renminbi (CNY) and a card as backup, as some small vendors are mobile-payment only and others take only cash.
• Battery: with your phone doing payments, maps and translation, battery life matters. Carry a power bank; shared power-bank rental stations are also common in cities.
• Addresses: save your hotel's address and name in Chinese characters, and take a screenshot.
• Translation: a camera translation app is invaluable for menus, signs and tickets.
• Messaging: WeChat is widely used in China for messaging and payments. If you have contacts in China, they will likely ask you to connect on WeChat.
• Phone security: use a strong lock screen, as your phone becomes your wallet.

China on a multi-country trip

Many trips combine mainland China with Hong Kong and Macao, which use separate networks. Others connect with Japan, South Korea or Vietnam, or continue overland to Mongolia or Kazakhstan.

Spidot does not currently sell an Asia regional plan, so for multi-country trips the simplest approach is one eSIM per country or territory. Most eSIM phones can store several eSIMs, so install the plans for your route before you travel and switch mobile data to the right line when you cross a border.